In the neon-drenched, rain-slicked sprawl of Night City, the journey of Cyberpunk 2077 has been a wild ride, evolving from a launch plagued by bugs into a celebrated RPG masterpiece by 2026. This transformation was largely powered by the monumental Update 2.0 and the Phantom Liberty expansion, which revamped nearly every system from enemy AI to character progression. Yet, amidst this sea of improvements, one system was left adrift in a strange, half-baked state: the clothing and fashion mechanics. As CD Projekt Red forges ahead with the sequel, currently known as Project Orion, the lessons learned from this sartorial stumble are more crucial than ever.
The Rise, Fall, and Redemption of Night City's Threads
Let's rewind the braindance. At the game's original 2020 launch, clothing was a core pillar of your build, as vital as your cyberware loadout. 🧠✨ Every jacket, pair of pants, and pair of shoes came with:
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Armor Rating: Your primary defense stat.
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Stat Bonuses: Boosts to attributes like Body, Reflexes, or Cool.
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Mod Slots: For further customization via crafted or found mods.
This system had a fatal flaw, however. It created a ludonarrative dissonance sharper than a Mantis Blade. Players were forced to choose between looking like a chromed-out legend of the Afterlife or a scav who raided a dumpster behind a Jinguji store. You either maxed your stats in a clownish mismatch of gear or gimped your character for the sake of style. It was like trying to win a street race with a limousine—possible, but deeply unsatisfying.
Update 2.0: The Great Wardrobe Purge
With Update 2.0, CDPR listened to player feedback... perhaps a little too zealously. In an effort to liberate fashion, they effectively defanged the clothing system. Here’s what changed:
| Feature | Pre-2.0 | Post-2.0 |
|---|---|---|
| Primary Armor Source | Clothing | Cyberware |
| Stat Bonuses | Common on most items | Rare, only on specific items (e.g., vests, helmets) |
| Modification | Full mod system | Completely removed |
| Transmog | Available only at apartment | Still in-game, but largely pointless |
The design intent was clear: separate style from substance. Your survivability was now neatly bundled into your cyberware, a clean and logical system. But the execution left clothing in a bizarre purgatory. It became a forgotten accessory, as impactful to your build as the brand of soda V drinks—a system stranded like a lone, flickering neon sign in a power outage.
The Current Quagmire: Neither Fish Nor Fowl
So, where does that leave us in 2026? The clothing system is stuck in an awkward middle ground that pleases no one.
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For the Min-Maxers: Finding a clothing piece with a +2% Crit Chance feels like a cruel joke when your cyberdeck is handing out +50% damage boosts. It's an irrelevant trinket.
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For the Fashionistas: The transmog system exists but is a relic. Why bother changing appearances when the stats underneath are meaningless? The joy of discovering a cool new jacket is gone because it's just a skin.
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For Role-Players: Clothing lost its potential as narrative texture. That armored trench coat from a fallen Maelstrom boss? Just a cosmetic now, devoid of the weight it once carried.
This half-measure has rendered one of Night City's most vibrant aspects—its insane fashion—into background noise. It's as if the entire wardrobe department became a brain-damaged doll, beautiful to look at but with nothing going on behind the eyes. 🤖👗
Project Orion's Crossroads: Three Paths Forward
As the developers gaze into the future of Project Orion, they stand at a sartorial crossroads. Here are the viable paths, ranked by potential:
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The Fully Realized RPG System (The Ideal Choice)
This path reintegrates clothing as a meaningful, deep layer of character building.
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Meaningful Stat Bonuses: Every clothing item should offer distinct, build-defining bonuses. A Corpo suit could boost hacking stealth, while Max-Tac armor increases threat generation.
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Quirky Perks & Set Bonuses: Imagine a full set of 'Media' gear granting bonus Eddie rewards from data shards, or 'Fixer' attire improving vendor prices.
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Seamless, Universal Transmog: Fully integrate the transmog system into the main inventory or wardrobe. Let players define their look independently of stats, instantly and anywhere. This divorces style from substance in the right way—by giving players control over both.
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The Pure Cosmetic Route (The Clean Cut)
If deep customization is too complex, commit fully to fashion.
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Strip ALL stats from clothing. Make it 100% about aesthetic expression.
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Expand customization wildly: More dyes, patterns, wear-and-tear options, and brand-specific styles.
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Integrate fashion into the world: Let clothing choices affect NPC dialogue or open up unique social interactions (e.g., wearing Arasaka gear gets you into a exclusive club but makes Mox hostile).
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The Hybrid System (The High-Risk Gambit)
A more nuanced take could involve specialized "Tech-Weave" slots in clothing. Your base armor is cyberware, but you can install single-use mods into clothing slots for situational bonuses—a temporary optical camo weave in your jacket, a stim-dispensing collar. This makes clothing a tactical, swappable layer rather than a static stat stick.
The Verdict from the Streets
The lesson for Project Orion is clear: indecision is the killer of fun. Update 2.0's clothing system is a testament to fixing one problem but creating a new, less obvious one. Clothing in an RPG, especially one as immersive and style-obsessed as Cyberpunk, should never feel like an afterthought. It should be another tool in the player's kit, another way to scream their identity into the neon-soaked night.
CD Projekt Red has a chance to weave a new legacy. They can transform clothing from a forgotten accessory into a vibrant, integral thread in the tapestry of Project Orion's gameplay. Whether they choose deep RPG mechanics or unfettered cosmetic freedom, they must choose decisively. After all, in the dark future of 2077 and beyond, style isn't just everything—it's the only thing that separates a legend from just another corpse in the gutter. 💀🔥