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{{Short description|
{{Use mdy dates|date=August 2025}}
{{Video game industry}}'''Video game modding''' (short for "modifying") is the process of player and fan-authored alteration of a [[video game]]<ref name=Poor>{{cite journal |last1=Poor |first1=Nathaniel |title=Computer game modders' motivations and sense of community: A mixed-methods approach |journal=[[New Media & Society]] |date=24 September 2013 |volume=16 |issue=8 |pages=1249–1267 |doi=10.1177/1461444813504266|s2cid=39280896}}</ref> and is a sub-discipline of general ''[[modding]]''. A set of modifications,
People can become fans of specific mods and can involve themselves in the process of mod development and discourse.<ref name=":16">{{Cite journal |last=Sotamaa |first=Olli |date=2010-07-01 |title=When the Game Is Not Enough: Motivations and Practices Among Computer Game Modding Culture |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/1555412009359765 |journal=Games and Culture |language=EN |volume=5 |issue=3 |pages=239–255 |doi=10.1177/1555412009359765 |issn=1555-4120|url-access=subscription }}</ref> In cases where modding is popular, players use the term ''[[Vanilla software|vanilla]]'' to describe the unmodified game (e.g. "Vanilla ''[[Minecraft]]''").<ref>{{Cite news |last=Gould |first=Elie |date=2025-01-09 |title=After 15 years, Minecraft has finally added two new pig variations: The warm pig and the cold pig, meaning I can delete one mod off my list |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/survival-crafting/after-15-years-minecraft-has-finally-added-two-new-pig-variations-the-warm-pig-and-the-cold-pig-meaning-i-can-delete-one-mod-off-my-list/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref>
Mods that extensively transform gameplay are known as total conversions, [[List of video games derived from mods|with some developing into distinct games]]. As early as the 1980s, video game mods have also been used for the sole purpose of creating art, as opposed to a playable game, leading to the rise of [[Video game art|artistic video game modification]], as well as [[machinima]] and the [[demoscene]].<ref name=":15" />▼
▲As early as the 1980s, video game mods have also been used for the sole purpose of creating art, as opposed to a playable game, leading to the rise of [[Video game art|artistic video game modification]], as well as [[machinima]] and the [[demoscene]].<ref name=":15" />
▲Popular games can have tens of thousands of mods created for them.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Dey |first1=Tapajit |last2=Massengill |first2=Jacob Logan |last3=Mockus |first3=Audris |title=Proceedings of the 2016 Annual Symposium on Computer-Human Interaction in Play Companion Extended Abstracts |chapter=Analysis of Popularity of Game Mods |date=16 October 2016 |pages=133–139 |doi=10.1145/2968120.2987724 |isbn=978-1-4503-4458-6 |s2cid=12003615}}</ref> In 2024, [[Nexus Mods]], one of the biggest video game mod websites, hosted a total of 539,682 mod files, developed by 128,361 mod authors, and accrued a lifetime total of 10 billion mod downloads for 2,683 games the same year.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news |last=Wolens |first=Joshua |date=2024-02-08 |title=The world's biggest mod site pops the cork on 10 billion downloads and $7 million-worth of payouts: 'If every download were a footstep, you could walk to the Moon 11 times' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/the-worlds-biggest-mod-site-pops-the-cork-on-10-billion-downloads-and-dollar7-million-worth-of-payouts-if-every-download-were-a-footstep-you-could-walk-to-the-moon-11-times/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref> The proliferation of modding has made it an increasingly important factor in the success of many games.<ref name="auto3">{{cite journal |last1=Postigo |first1=Hector |date=October 2007 |title=Of Mods and Modders |journal=[[Games and Culture]] |volume=2 |issue=4 |pages=300–313 |doi=10.1177/1555412007307955 |s2cid=143727901}}</ref><ref name=":16" />
==History==
=== ''Spacewar!'' (1962) and early endeavors ===
A specific date of origin for video game modding has not been agreed upon by historians, partly due to discussion over what constitutes a mod and partly because of insufficient historical documentation.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":27" /> However, the very [[First computer game|first computer games]] already were being actively modified by the first generation of [[Hacker|hackers]],<ref name=":27" /> and researchers have described modding as an evolution of the [[hacker culture]] which pioneered the [[video game industry]].<ref name="auto2">{{cite journal |last1=Coleman |first1=Sarah |last2=Dyer-Witheford |first2=Nick |date=2007 |title=Playing on the digital commons: collectivities, capital and contestation in videogame culture |journal=[[Media, Culture & Society]] |volume=29 |issue=6 |pages=934–953 |doi=10.1177/0163443707081700 |s2cid=154832086}}</ref>
Widely considered one of the first computer games,<ref>{{Cite web |title=Museum of the Moving Image - Exhibitions - Spacewar! Video Games Blast Off |url=http://www.movingimage.us/exhibitions/2012/12/15/detail/spacewar-video-games-blast-off/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180618154623/http://www.movingimage.us/exhibitions/2012/12/15/detail/spacewar-video-games-blast-off/ |archive-date=2018-06-18 |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=www.movingimage.us |language=en}}</ref> the 1962 game ''[[Spacewar!]]'' was distributed freely as testing software for the [[PDP-1]], an early computer.<ref name=":2" /> The game was a result of hardware<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sotamaa |first=Olli |url=https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/9781136290510 |title=The Routledge Companion to Video Game Studies |date=2014-01-03 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-136-29051-0 |editor-last=Wolf |editor-first=Mark J.P. |edition=1st |language=en |chapter=Artifact |doi=10.4324/9780203114261 |editor-last2=Perron |editor-first2=Bernard}}</ref> and software experimentation, supported by the programming culture<ref name="auto2" /> at the [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology]] (MIT).<ref name="cc">{{cite magazine |last=Graetz |first=Martin |date=August 1981 |title=The origin of Spacewar |url=https://archive.org/details/creativecomputing-1981-08/page/n59/mode/2up |magazine=[[Creative Computing (magazine)|Creative Computing]] |pages=56–67 |volume=7 |issue=8 |issn=0097-8140}}</ref> On university campuses where the computer was installed, programmers continued to experiment with the game by modifying it heavily,<ref name=":2" /> allured by the prospect of fixing a "dire problem [...] as easily as changing a few instructions", as [[Steven Levy]] describes. Their efforts resulted in a wave of improvements to ''Spacewar!'', from changing aspects such as gameplay [[Game physics|physics]] to creating new [[Video game graphics|graphics]].<ref name=":24" />{{Rp|pages=52-54}} The final version of the game was ultimately a product of a group effort of hackers, who contributed to the game without pay.<ref name=":25">{{Cite book |last=Christiansen |first=Peter |title=Game mods: design, theory and criticism |date=2012 |publisher=ETC Press |isbn=978-1-300-54061-8 |editor-last=Champion |editor-first=Erik |___location=Pittsburgh, PA |chapter=Between a Mod and a Hard Place}}</ref>{{Reference page|page=32}} In this way, ''Spacewar!'' was not only the first video game, but also the first video game to be modded.<ref name=":25" /> On the popularity of hacking ''Spacewar!,'' Levy reflected:<blockquote>Like any other program, it was placed in the drawer for anyone to access, look at, and rewrite as they saw fit. The group effort that stage by stage had improved the program could have stood for an argument for the [[Hacker ethic|Hacker Ethic]]: an urge to get inside the workings of the thing and make it better had led to measurable improvement. And of course it was all a huge amount of fun.<ref name=":24">{{Cite book |last=Levy |first=Steven |title=Hackers |date=May 2010 |publisher=[[O'Reilly Media]] |isbn=978-1-4493-8839-3 |edition=1st |___location=Sebastopol, CA |pages=}}</ref>{{Reference page|pages=55-56}}</blockquote>Other early video games also released as iterations of collaborative improvements. [[Colossal Cave Adventure|''Colossal Cave Adventure'']], a [[text adventure game]] developed by [[Will Crowther]] and released in 1976, was greatly expanded upon by Stanford graduate [[Don Woods (programmer)|Don Woods]].<ref name=":26">{{Cite journal |last=Jerz |first=Dennis |date=2007 |title=Somewhere Nearby is Colossal Cave: Examining Will Crowther's Original "Adventure" in Code and in Kentucky |url=http://www.digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/001/2/000009/000009.html |journal=[[Alliance of Digital Humanities Organizations|Digital Humanities Quarterly]] |volume=1 |issue=2 |issn=1938-4122 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160616070717/http://www.digitalhumanities.org/dhq/vol/001/2/000009/000009.html |archive-date=June 16, 2016}}</ref><ref name=":25" /> After receiving the source code to the game from Crowther, Woods increased the game's complexity and released a modified version in 1977<ref name=":26" /> to instant success.<ref name=":25" /> The desire to improve software—the "hacker ethic", as described by Levy—became a crucial factor to the emergence of modern modding culture.<ref name=":2" />{{Reference page|page=8}} Before the development of affordable and more accessible [[Personal computer|personal computers]], the ability to mod games was restricted to where computers at the time were able to be installed, such as university campuses like MIT.<ref name=":27" /> With the advent of [[Home computer|home computers]] in the late 1970s to early 1980s, such as the [[Apple II]] and the [[Commodore 64]],<ref name=":2" /> video games were given a new space to flourish, accompanied by a new generation of modders.<ref name=":25" /> The subculture of "[[Software cracking|cracking]]" video games—hacking their source code—emerged as a niche endeavor among hobbyists.<ref name=":20" /> Cracks added gameplay [[Cheat (video games)|cheats]] or removed copyright structures, allowing games to be distributed freely.<ref name=":2" /> Using basic file editing software and a program that would [[Core dump|dump]] the contents of files, modders additionally scoured games for their assets through trial and error, with the goal of replacing them with their own levels and graphics.<ref name=":25" /> A famous example is ''Castle Smurfenstein'', a modification of the 1981 Apple II game [[Castle Wolfenstein|''Castle Wolfenstein'']]. Andrew Johnson and Preston Nevins, two high school students, replaced the game's [[Nazi]] characters with those from the popular 80's cartoon [[The Smurfs|''The Smurfs'']]. The game is often cited as a pioneering example of modding culture.<ref name=":25" /><ref name=":2" />{{Reference page|pages=|page=9}}
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Valve used WorldCraft, a fan-produced tool for ''Quake'', to design ''[[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]].<ref name="auto3" />''
With the increase in popularity of the modding scene, video game companies began to capitalize on the appeal of creating [[user-generated content]]. By the mid-1990s, PC games were commonly bundled with modding tools, external software which allows users to create mods for their paired games.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Burger-Helmchen |first1=Thierry |last2=Cohendet |first2=Patrick |date=October 2011 |title=User Communities and Social Software in the Video Game Industry |url=https://hal.science/hal-02302912 |journal=Long Range Planning |volume=44 |issue=5–6 |pages=317–343 |doi=10.1016/j.lrp.2011.09.003}}</ref><ref name=":15" /> Games that launched with these tools were noteworthy in review<ref name="auto2" /> and often contributed to their commercial success; in 2003, eight of the top 10 selling PC video games were bundled with modding tools.<ref name=":32">{{Cite journal |last=Moshirnia |first=Andrew V. |last2=Walker |first2=Anthony C. |date=2007-01-01 |title=Reciprocal Innovation in Modding Communities as a means of Increasing Cultural Diversity and Historical Accuracy in Video Games |url=https://dl.digra.org/index.php/dl/article/view/291 |journal=Proceedings of DiGRA 2007 Conference: Situated Play |language=en |doi=10.26503/dl.v2007i1.291}}</ref>
[[Steam (service)|Steam]], a video game digital distribution service created by [[Valve Corporation]], was specifically designed for the proliferation of successful, stand-alone mods.<ref name=":23">{{Cite web |last=Au |first=Wagner James |date=2002-04-16 |title=Triumph of the mod |url=https://www.salon.com/2002/04/16/modding/?utm_source=website&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=ogshare&utm_content=og |access-date=2025-08-22 |website=Salon.com |language=en-US}}</ref> The platform offered a US$995 licensing fee plus [[Royalty payment|royalty]] for modders to distribute their games.<ref name="auto3" /> With a beta release in 2002,<ref name="steam-announced">{{cite web |date=March 22, 2002 |title=GDC 2002: Valve unveils Steam |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gdc-2002-valve-unveils-steam/1100-2857298/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140717003347/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/gdc-2002-valve-unveils-steam/1100-2857298/ |archive-date=July 17, 2014 |access-date=September 7, 2006 |work=[[GameSpot]].com}}</ref> Steam included a retail-version of [[Day of Defeat|''Day of Defeat'']], originally a [[Video game modding#Total conversion|total conversion]] mod for Valve's ''Half-Life'' whose rights were purchased by the company.<ref name=":23" /><ref name="GameSpot Valve & Activision">{{cite web |author=GameSpot staff |date=April 4, 2003 |title=Valve signs with Activision, exclusive Day of Defeat screens |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-signs-with-activision-exclusive-day-of-defeat-screens/1100-6024608/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140225235043/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/valve-signs-with-activision-exclusive-day-of-defeat-screens/1100-6024608/ |archive-date=February 25, 2014 |access-date=February 25, 2014 |work=GameSpot}}</ref> [[Gabe Newell]], the founder of Valve, noted that his perception of video games shifted from viewing them as entertainment to embracing them as "productivity platforms".<ref>{{cite web |last=Boudreau |first=Ian |date=March 29, 2020 |title=Gabe Newell tried gold farming in World of Warcraft to test a theory about games |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/world-of-warcraft/gaben-gold-farming |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200329144743/https://www.pcgamesn.com/world-of-warcraft/gaben-gold-farming |archive-date=March 29, 2020 |access-date=March 29, 2020 |work=[[PCGamesN]]}}</ref> Since then, the client has become one of the largest online marketplaces for games. The platform introduced full support for finding and playing mods for Valve's [[Team Fortress 2|''Team Fortress 2'']],<ref name=":19" /> a game that itself originated as a mod for [[Quake (video game)|''Quake'']].<ref name="gamespot 1998-06-01">{{Cite web |last=Dunkin, Alan |date=June 1, 1998 |title=''Team Fortress'' Full Speed Ahead |url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/team-fortress-full-speed-ahead/1100-2463316/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140323205856/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/team-fortress-full-speed-ahead/1100-2463316/ |archive-date=March 23, 2014 |access-date=June 12, 2006 |work=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> The [[Steam Workshop]], introduced to the platform in 2012, allows players to mod Steam-hosted games directly within the interface.<ref name=":19">{{Cite journal |last=Rosen |first=Zvi S. |date=December 6, 2018 |title=Man, Mod, and Law: Revisiting The Law of Computer Game Modifications |url=https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3309904 |url-status=live |journal=IDEA: The IP Law Review |language=en |volume=59 |issue=1 |ssrn=3309904 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250319204545/https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=3309904 |archive-date=2025-03-19 |access-date=2025-08-01 |via=SSRN}}</ref>
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Developing a video game mod requires a range of technical and social skills, such as [[video game programming|programming]], [[3D modeling]], [[sound design]], art, and [[project management]].<ref name="auto3" /><ref name=":9">{{Cite web |last=Antonelli |first=William |title=It's easier than ever to turn video game modding into a career |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/video-game-modding-patreon-creators-hobby-into-career-2025-7 |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=Business Insider |language=en-US}}</ref> Modders represent a wide spectrum of individuals with varying degrees of experience, skill sets, and motivations.<ref name="auto" /> They work in teams of individuals with different specializations.<ref name=":30">{{Cite book |last=Hawranke |first=Thomas |title=Playful participatory practices: theoretical and methodological reflections |date=2020 |publisher=Springer VS |isbn=978-3-658-28618-7 |editor-last=Abend |editor-first=Pablo |series=Perspektiven der Game Studies |___location=Wiesbaden, Germany |chapter=Intrinsic Research—a Practice-Based Approach to Computer Game Modding |editor-last2=Beil |editor-first2=Benjamin |editor-last3=Ossa |editor-first3=Vanessa}}</ref>
===Tools===
Mod development involves the use of external [[Software development kit|software development kits]] (SDK) that are not included in the original game, distinguishing mods from in-game creations such as character creation in [[The Sims|''The Sims'']] or levels designed in [[Lemmings (video game)|''Lemmings'']].<ref name=":15" /> Early commercial mod-making tools include the ''[[Boulder Dash Construction Kit]]'', released in 1986, and ''[[The Bard's Tale Construction Set]]'', released in 1991, which allow users to create games using the engines of their predecessors.<ref>{{Cite web |date=March 12, 1988 |title=Antic Magazine Volume 6 Number 11 (Next Generation Game Machines) |url=http://archive.org/details/1988-03-anticmagazine |via=Internet Archive}}</ref><ref name="scorpia199202">{{cite magazine |author=Scorpia |date=February 1992 |title=Scorpion's Tale |url=http://www.cgwmuseum.org/galleries/index.php?year=1992&pub=2&id=91 |accessdate=24 November 2013 |magazine=Computer Gaming World |pages=38}}</ref> In 1983, ''[[Lode Runner]]'' was released with a [[level editor]] in which users could make and save levels to share with other players on the same computer. It is considered one of the first games to support user mods.<ref name="routledge chp31" /> Released in 1993, ''[[Forgotten Realms: Unlimited Adventures]]'' allows users to construct games based on the ''[[Pool of Radiance]]'' game world''.<ref name="rauschIII">{{cite web |last=Rausch |first=Allen |date=2004-08-17 |title=A History of ''D&D'' Video Games - Part III |url=http://pc.gamespy.com/articles/539/539722p1.html |access-date=November 17, 2012 |publisher=Game Spy}}</ref>''
The provision of tools is seen as the most practical way that a company can signal to fans that its game is available to mod.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Poretski |first1=Lev |title=Proceedings of the 2017 ACM Conference on Computer Supported Cooperative Work and Social Computing |last2=Arazy |first2=Ofer |date=25 February 2017 |publisher=ACM |isbn=978-1-4503-4335-0 |pages=480–491 |chapter=Placing Value on Community Co-creations: A Study of a Video Game 'Modding' Community |doi=10.1145/2998181.2998301 |s2cid=18600910}}</ref> Many tools use the lightweight scripting language [[Lua]], facilitating a simple and accessible medium to create mods.<ref name=":20">{{Cite journal |last=Wells |first=Matthew |date=2018-06-20 |editor-last=Chan |editor-first=Leslie |editor2-last=Mounier |editor2-first=Pierre |title=Game not Over: End-User Programming and Game System Modding as Models for Extending Community Engagement |url=https://hal.science/hal-01816719 |journal=ELPUB 2018 |___location=Toronto, Canada |publisher=ElPub |volume=Connecting the Knowledge Commons: From Projects to Sustainable Infrastructure |doi=10.4000/proceedings.elpub.2018.21}}</ref> [[Maxis]] released modding tools for ''[[The Sims]]'' before the game itself, resulting in a suite of fan-created mods being available at launch.<ref name=":2">{{cite book |last=Lukkanen |first=Tero |url=https://tampub.uta.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/65431/951-44-6448-6.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |title=Modding scenes: Introduction to user-created content in computer gaming |publisher=[[University of Tampere]] |year=2005 |series=Hypermedia Laboratory Net Series |volume=9 |place=Tampere |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128211333/https://tampub.uta.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/65431/951-44-6448-6.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y |archive-date=28 November 2018}}</ref> The advertising campaign for ''[[Neverwinter Nights (2002 video game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' focused on the included Aurora toolset.<ref name=":2" /> The [[Warcraft III World Editor|''World Editor'']] for ''[[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos|Warcraft III]]'' allowed a variety of custom scenarios or maps to be created for the game, such as a number of [[tower defense]] and [[multiplayer online battle arena|multiplayer online battle arena (MOBA)]] maps, including ''[[Defense of the Ancients]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Walbridge|first=Michael|title=Analysis: Defense of the Ancients - An Underground Revolution|url=https://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/109814/Analysis_Defense_of_the_Ancients__An_Underground_Revolution.php|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120510135818/http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/109814/Analysis_Defense_of_the_Ancients__An_Underground_Revolution.php|url-status=dead|archive-date=May 10, 2012|access-date=2020-09-07|website=www.gamasutra.com|date=12 June 2008|language=en}}</ref>''<ref name=":11">{{Cite web |date=26 March 2018 |title=How Warcraft 3's modding community paved the way for League of Legends and Dota 2 |url=https://www.pcgamesn.com/warcraft-iii/warcraft-3-mods-dota-league-of-legends |access-date=2020-09-06 |website=PCGamesN |language=en-GB}}</ref>'' Bethesda Game Studios offers the [[Creation Kit]], a program containing user-tailored modding tools used to create mods for their games, including ''[[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim]]''.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2012-03-12 |title=Skyrim: The Creation Kit Experience |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/skyrim-the-creation-kit-experience |access-date=2025-07-30 |work=Eurogamer.net |language=en}}</ref>
Modders also create and use [[open-source software]] tools for creating mods.<ref name="auto4">{{cite book |last1=Scacchi |first1=Walt |series=IFIP Advances in Information and Communication Technology |title=Open Source Systems: Grounding Research |chapter=Modding as an Open Source Approach to Extending Computer Game Systems |volume=365 |date=2011 |pages=62–74 |doi=10.1007/978-3-642-24418-6_5 |language=en|isbn=978-3-642-24417-9|s2cid=8934352 }}</ref> With games where modding is unsanctioned, these user-developed tools are the only resources available to develop mods. Examples include tools written to view 3D-geometry and programs used to import this data into 3D-applications, such as [[Maya (software)|Maya]] or [[Autodesk 3ds Max]]. Because game developers [[Encryption|encrypt]] their game's files, unsanctioned modding requires [[reverse engineering]] the structure of the game through extracting and decrypting files. This process is facilitated through the sharing of game files on modding forums, such as the XeNTaX community which produced modded versions [[Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain|''Metal Gear Solid V: The Phantom Pain'']] starting in 2015.<ref name=":30" /> [[Generative AI]]
Websites for hosting and sharing mods are widely used by the modding community. [[Mod DB]] was founded in 2002, with over 300 million mod downloads as of 2025.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Nelson |first=Will |date=2021-10-11 |title=Changing the game: an interview with Scott Reismanis - the founder of ModDB |url=https://www.nme.com/features/mods-are-still-a-pillar-of-gaming-after-decades-an-interview-with-the-founder-of-moddb-3062921 |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=NME |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=About Us |url=https://www.moddb.com/about |access-date=July 26, 2025 |website=Mod DB}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Downloads |url=https://www.moddb.com/downloads |access-date=July 26, 2025 |publisher=Mod DB}}</ref>
Free content delivery tools, known as "mod managers", are available to streamline the mod installation process and aid players who are less technically literate. These tools manage downloads, updates, and mod installation. Steam offers the [[Steam Workshop]] within the game launcher itself, allowing a users to share mods for simplified download and installation in supported games.<ref name=":3">{{cite news |last1=Letzter |first1=Rafi |title=Online communities are changing video games to make them better, weirder, and much more wonderful |url=https://www.businessinsider.com/video-game-modding-2015-7?r=US&IR=T |access-date=22 February 2019 |work=Business Insider Australia |date=21 July 2015 |language=en |archive-date=22 February 2019 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190222152029/https://www.businessinsider.com.au/video-game-modding-2015-7?r=US&IR=T }}</ref> Vortex, a mod manager released by Nexus Mods, is an external tool that supports modding over 65 games and is designed to work with the website.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Vortex |url=https://www.nexusmods.com/site/mods/1?tab=description |access-date=July 26, 2025 |website=Nexus Mods }}</ref> Game developers also create official mod managers either alongside their games, such as the Paradox Launcher
===Game support===
A game that allows modding is said to be ''moddable'', and the extent to which a game can be modded is called its ''moddability''.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Litchfield |first=Ted |date=2025-02-18 |title=Blockchain-based space survival MMO EVE Frontier has a free trial running, with CCP hoping you'll take a chance on its 20,000 star systems, more tactical combat, and 'dark sci-fi Pinocchio story' |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/mmo/blockchain-based-space-survival-mmo-eve-frontier-has-a-free-trial-running-with-ccp-hoping-youll-take-a-chance-on-its-20-000-star-systems-more-tactical-combat-and-dark-sci-fi-pinocchio-story/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref> In general, moddable games will define gameplay variables in text or other non proprietary format files and have graphics of a standard format, such as [[bitmap]]s.<ref name="Sihvonen2011p37">{{cite book |last1=Sihvonen |first1=Tania |title=Players Unleashed!: Modding The Sims and the Culture of Gaming |date=2011 |publisher=[[Amsterdam University Press]] |isbn=978-90-8964-201-1 |___location=Amsterdam |pages=37–86 |chapter=Cultural and Commercial Appropriation |jstor=j.ctt46mt37.5}}</ref> Developers can also foster mod-friendliness by making source files more accessible, such as ''Doom'' separating its art assets from the main program.<ref name=":2" /> Released in 2007, ''[[Supreme Commander (video game)|Supreme Commander]]'' was developed with the goal of being the as customisable as possible through mods.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Mason |first=Graeme |date=2018-01-07 |title=The making of Supreme Commander |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/the-making-of-supreme-commander |access-date=2025-07-30 |website=Eurogamer.net |language=en}}</ref> Some mods increase moddability by adding scripting support or externalizing underlying code. In 2025, mod authors released a script extender for [[The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered|''The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion Remastered'']], which has no official mod support, within less than six hours after the game's release.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=2025-04-22 |title=Oblivion Remastered doesn't officially support mods, but the mods are rolling in anyway |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/rpg/oblivion-remastered-doesnt-officially-support-mods-but-the-mods-are-rolling-in-anyway/ |access-date=2025-07-30 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref>
Video game developer reception of player contribution in creating new material for games and mod-communities is varied. Some software companies openly accept and even encourage such communities, with moddability being a contributing factor to the some games' success. Others have chosen to enclose their games in heavily-policed copyright or Intellectual Property regimes (IPR) and shut down sites infringing on their ownership of a game
▲Video game developer reception of player contribution in creating new material for games and mod-communities is varied. Some software companies openly accept and even encourage such communities, with moddability being a contributing factor to the some games' success. Others have chosen to enclose their games in heavily-policed copyright or Intellectual Property regimes (IPR) and shut down sites infringing on their ownership of a game, an action which can have a detrimental effect on the sales of the game(s) in question.<ref>Flew, Terry and Humphreys, Sal (2005) "Games: Technology, Industry, Culture" in Terry Flew, New Media: an introduction (second edition), Oxford University Press, South Melbourne 101-114.</ref>
== Motivations ==
{{Expand section|date=August 2025}}
Modding can stem from a dissatisfaction with the base game's limitations on customization. <ref name=":21
Modding serves as a channel to enter the [[video game industry]], with mod projects often being used in a portfolio when applying to jobs in the industry.<ref name=":16" /> Mod tools provide the opportunity to acquire [[information technology]] expertise for novices in the field<ref name=":17">{{Cite journal |last=Hayes |first=Elisabeth |date=2008-08-01 |title=Game content creation and it proficiency: An exploratory study |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131507000292 |journal=Computers & Education |volume=51 |issue=1 |pages=97–108 |doi=10.1016/j.compedu.2007.04.002 |issn=0360-1315 |url-access=subscription}}</ref> with the prospect of eventually working in the games industry or related fields using the skills acquired.<ref name=":16" /> Alternatively, the pathway to becoming a professional may be unimportant to modders, as they tend to have a strong sense of community<ref name="Poor" /> or wish to keep the skill simply as a hobby.<ref name=":16" /> Researcher Hector Postigo identifies the [[hacker ethic]] as a contributor to the blurring between amateur and professional game development, where programming skill grants prestige in hacker communites.<ref name="auto3" />
=== Convergence culture ===
[[File:CJ, Kratos and Snow White in Guitar Hero.png|thumb|220px|right|Custom character models such as [[Kratos (God of War)|Kratos]], [[Carl Johnson (Grand Theft Auto)|Carl Johnson]] and [[Snow White (Disney character)|Snow White]] in ''[[Guitar Hero World Tour]]'' are a popular form of mod, allowing fans to come up with their own humorous [[fictional crossover]]s.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}}]]Modding has been described as a part of [[remix culture]]<ref name="auto6">{{cite journal |last1=Scacchi |first1=Walt |date=3 May 2010 |title=Computer game mods, modders, modding, and the mod scene |journal=First Monday |volume=15 |issue=5 |doi=10.5210/fm.v15i5.2965 |doi-access=free}}</ref> and as a successor to the [[hacker culture]] that produced the first video games.<ref name="auto2" /> It has been correlated with the introduction of [[Web 2.0]], which encourages collaboration and participation via the Internet through the production and alteration of [[user-generated content]]. The sense of community,<ref name="auto3" /> feedback, recognition, and sources of inspiration fostered through online, collaborative discussions are various motivators that influence the development and sharing of mods.<ref name=":15" />
The proliferation of mod culture exemplifies the overlap between media consumption and production.<ref name=":16" /> Modding is viewed as a way to increase enjoyment of the game through personalization, such as the inclusion of popular or national culture of personal significance.<ref name="auto3" /> With the provision of modding tools by the developer, players are granted agency to contribute to their entertainment experience.<ref name=":15" /> Modding is akin to other user-made practices in video game consumption, including [[speedrunning]] and [[Machinima|machinima—]]<nowiki/>all of which appropriate the original game and transform it into something new, exemplifying the flexibility of the video game space.<ref name=":30" />
=== Self-expression ===
The development of mods can be an outlet for creative and artistic expression.<ref name=":16" />
Players can express their belief systems, personal preferences, or political opinions through modding, incorporating these cultural elements in a recreation of themselves. Flag mods for ''[[Civilization IV]]'' allow players to express their interests outside the historical scope of the game. Another mod introduced a [[Chechens|Chechen]] faction when the developer grew sympathetic to the group in [[Chechen–Russian conflict|their conflict with Russia]].<ref name=":32" />
=== Community ===
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=== Realism ===
The desire to enhance game realism is a factor in the recreation of real-world elements through modding. Real-life locations are added via modding to extend the map, such as the addition of Polish settlements and landmarks in [[Euro Truck Simulator 2|''Euro Truck Simulator 2'']]. In games such as ''Euro Truck Simulator'' and [[Second Life|''Second Life'']], mods accurately reproduce brands and real-life products, while others invent fictitious brands that share similarities to real ones, such as 'McDowel' restaurant mods for ''Second Life'', which imitate [[McDonald's]].<ref name=":21" /> Modders have recorded weapon sounds to be used for their mods.<ref name="auto3" /> Other mods intend to address historical accuracy. Mods for ''Civilization IV'' altered the game's historical flags to be more accurate, offering multiple variations to reflect their change over time. For flags with little historical documentation, modders debated over the culture's use of colors and iconography.<ref name=":32" />
Mods can be a tool to create diversity and recreate body images from real life.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Sihvonen |first=Tanja |title=Players unleashed! modding the Sims and the culture of gaming |date=2011 |publisher=Amsterdam University Press |isbn=978-90-8964-201-1 |series=Mediamatters |___location=Amsterdam |chapter=Extending the game}}</ref> For players who identify as [[LGBTQ people|LGBTQ]], motivations for modding can stem from a lack of representation in the game and the modding community.<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Welch |first=Tom |date=December 2018 |title=The Affectively Necessary Labour of Queer Mods |url=https://gamestudies.org/1803/articles/welch |journal=Game Studies |volume=18 |issue=3 |issn=1604-7982}}</ref> Options for homosexual romance and character genders are made available through "queer mods"
== Impact ==
The game industry's support of modding has been crucial to the rise of the modding phenomenon.<ref name=":16" /> In contrast to the [[Music industry|music]] and [[Film industry|film]] industries, which discourage unauthorized modification and adaptation of their mediums through copyright law, many video game companies encourage modding of their games for creative inspiration, commercial success,<ref name=":23" /> and as a marketing strategy.<ref name=":2" /> Modding can extend the shelf life of games, leading to increased revenue for their developers and publishers.<ref name=":15" /> [[Valve]] attributed the long-lasting success of ''[[Half-Life (video game)|Half-Life]]'', whose sales figures increased over the first three years of its release, to popular mods for the game.<ref name=":12">{{cite web |last1=Hyman |first1=Paul |title=Video game companies encourage 'modders' |url=http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000484956 |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080506004712/http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/search/article_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1000484956 |archive-date=May 6, 2008 |date=April 9, 2004}}</ref> Beginning in 1999, the company held an annual mod expo showcasing new games built using [[GoldSrc]], the ''Half-Life'' engine, including [[Gunman Chronicles|''Gunman Chronicles'']] and ''[[Counter-Strike (video game)|Counter Strike]]'' which both later released as stand-alone titles.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Walker |first1=Trey |date=17 May 2006 |title=Half-Life Mod Expo mods announced |url=https://www.gamespot.com/articles/half-life-mod-expo-mods-announced/1100-2875097/ |access-date=27 November 2018 |work=[[GameSpot]]}}</ref> In early 2012, the ''[[DayZ (mod)|DayZ]]'' mod for ''ARMA 2'' was released, causing a massive increase in sales for the three-year-old game and putting it in the top spot for online game sales for a number of months.<ref name="CinemaBlend_1Jul12">{{cite news|url=http://www.cinemablend.com/games/DayZ-Helps-Arma-2-Rack-Up-More-Than-300-000-Sales-44161.html|title=DayZ Helps Arma 2 Rack Up More Than 300,000 In Sales|publisher=Cinema Blend|last=Usher |first=William|date=1 July 2012|access-date=2012-07-03}}</ref>
Creative collaboration through game modding communities is an influential medium.<ref name=":15" /> With the success of ''Counter Strike'', game industries recognized the potential benefits of modding;<ref name=":18">{{Cite journal |date=January 2012 |title=SPARE THE MOD: IN SUPPORT OF TOTAL-CONVERSION MODIFIED VIDEO GAMES |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/i40064316 |journal=Harvard Law Review |volume=125 |issue=3 |pages=789–810 |access-date=July 30, 2025 |via=JSTOR}}</ref> user-developed mods can test new approaches for video game development, offloading time and cost from the developer who may then adopt mod changes and additions for official releases.<ref name=":15" /> The developer of the ''[[Civilization (series)|Civilization]]'' series, [[Firaxis]] has included user mods, such as the "Best of the Net" collection and "Double Your Pleasure", throughout expansion packs for the franchise.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://reviews.cnet.com/pc-games/civilization-iii-play-the/4505-9696_7-30742336.html|title=Civilization III: Play the World Overview|website=CNET|access-date=2 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://rhye.civfanatics.net/pages/civ4-RFC-description.php|title=Sid Meier's Civilization Mods by Rhye - Rhye's and Fall of Civilization|website=rhye.civfanatics.net|access-date=2 October 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://kael.civfanatics.net/Ice.shtml|title=Fall from Heaven|website=kael.civfanatics.net|access-date=2 October 2017}}</ref> Series developer [[Sid Meier]], who had previously opposed mods in the franchise, later said that "the strength of the modding community is [...] the very reason the series survived".<ref name="jahromi20210922">{{Cite magazine |last=Jahromi |first=Neima |date=2021-09-22 |title=Sid Meier and the Meaning of "Civilization" |url=https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/sid-meier-and-the-meaning-of-civilization |magazine=The New Yorker |language=en-US |access-date=2021-09-23}}</ref> Valve hired ''Defense of the Ancients'' lead designer [[IceFrog]] for the development of the stand-alone, official sequel.<ref>{{cite web |last=Biessener |first=Adam |date=October 13, 2010 |title=Valve's New Game Announced, Detailed: Dota 2 |url=https://gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/10/13/dota-2-announced-details.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819120623/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/features/archive/2010/10/13/dota-2-announced-details.aspx |archive-date=August 19, 2012 |access-date=October 14, 2019 |publisher=[[Game Informer]]}}</ref>
The introduction of real-life brands through video game mods can result in positive brand reception, increased further through these dissemination of these mods on forums and video hosting websites.<ref name=":21" />
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===Paid mods===
While generally satisfied with working for free,<ref name=":19" /> mod authors can create and sell mods for various titles through game developer-created channels, including Bethesda's Verified Creators Program for their games and [[InZOI|InZOI's]] Creation Marketplace.<ref name=":6" /> Authors can also accept donations for their mods independently on [[Crowdfunding|crowdfunding websites]], such as [[Patreon]] and Ko-fi, avoiding EULA restrictions which prohibit direct sale of mods.<ref name=":9" /> Mod uploaders on [[Nexus Mods]] can earn "donation points", which they can trade in for real-world currency sourced from a donated pool. Over $12 million has been paid to top creators on the platform since 2018.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Livingston |first=Christopher |date=2018-05-22 |title=Nexus Mods launches reward system for modders, seeds it with $100,000 |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/nexus-mods-launches-system-to-pay-modders-seeds-it-with-dollar100000/ |access-date=2025-07-28 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":9" />
The implementation of "paid mod" systems has been controversial.<ref name=":14" /> Since their attempted introduction on Steam, the market generally has steered away from paid mods.<ref name=":19" /> In 2022, [[Electronic Arts]] updated their policy to disallow "money transactions of any type" for independently distributed paid mods for [[The Sims 4|''The Sims 4'']].<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2022-08-02 |title=EA Changes Sims 4 Paid Mod Rules After Fan Backlash |url=https://kotaku.com/ea-paid-mods-early-access-sims-4-rule-changes-maxis-1849362416 |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref> Criticisms of the change came from ''Sims'' 4 creators and mod authors who sold mods through an [[early access]] model on crowdfunding websites and released completed mods for free. The policy was later updated to allow paid mods using the early access model while still prohibiting completed mods sold with an explicit paywall.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-03 |title=EA rules all Sims 4 mods must be available 'in full for free' |url=https://www.gameshub.com/news/news/the-sims-4-mods-policy-ea-early-access-commercial-25509/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=www.gameshub.com |language=en-AU}}</ref> In 2024, Nexus Mods clarified their policies regarding the hosting of paid mods, including disallowing mods that require other paid mods as a prerequisite as well as [[Game demo|lite and demo versions]] of externally hosted paid mods, citing that paid modding is "in direct conflict" with their goal of making modding easy.<ref name=":5" /> Bethesda replaced their [[Creation Club]] with Creations, a new system for free and paid mod hosting and distribution within their titles such as Skyrim. Implemented in 2023, reception of the system was widely negative,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cryer |first=Hirun |date=2023-12-06 |title="Disappointed" Skyrim modders pledge to never charge for their creations after Bethesda resurrects paid mod shop |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/disappointed-skyrim-modders-pledge-to-never-charge-for-their-creations-after-bethesda-resurrects-paid-mod-shop/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=GamesRadar+ |language=en}}</ref> with criticisms of the price, the harm on the community, and the practice of abandoning free mods in favor of pushing paid updated versions. The system was present in the 2024 release of [[Starfield (video game)|Starfield]], where it received similar negative reception<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossi |first=José V. |date=2024-10-14 |title=Starfield Fans Still Aren't Happy About the Creation Club |url=https://gamerant.com/starfield-creation-club-fans-unhappy-high-prices-mods/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=Game Rant |language=en}}</ref> However, Creations has also been praised as a mutually beneficial platform that allows modders to work with game developers and have their work promoted in game.<ref name=":31" />▼
Arguments against paid mods have been diverse across mod-users and modders. Some users denounce developers who sell mods as "[[sellouts]]", arguing that modding should be a "labor-of-love". Criticism towards the price of cosmetic mods has been drawn, with users pointing out that the selling of third-party assets used in many mods could be classified as copyright infringement. With Steam's integration of paid mods in 2015, users were apprehensive about the centralization and surveillance of modding, as all submitted mods had to be approved by Steam. Other users mentioned that creators deserve to be compensated for their work and could imagine paying for extensively elaborate mods.<ref name=":31" />
▲The implementation of "paid mod" systems has been controversial.<ref name=":14" /> Since their attempted introduction on Steam, the market generally has steered away from paid mods.<ref name=":19" /> In 2022, [[Electronic Arts]] updated their policy to disallow "money transactions of any type" for independently distributed paid mods for [[The Sims 4|''The Sims 4'']].<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |date=2022-08-02 |title=EA Changes Sims 4 Paid Mod Rules After Fan Backlash |url=https://kotaku.com/ea-paid-mods-early-access-sims-4-rule-changes-maxis-1849362416 |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref> Criticisms of the change came from ''Sims'' 4 creators and mod authors who sold mods through an [[early access]] model on crowdfunding websites and released completed mods for free. The policy was later updated to allow paid mods using the early access model while still prohibiting completed mods sold with an explicit paywall.<ref name=":8" /><ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-03 |title=EA rules all Sims 4 mods must be available 'in full for free' |url=https://www.gameshub.com/news/news/the-sims-4-mods-policy-ea-early-access-commercial-25509/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=www.gameshub.com |language=en-AU}}</ref> In 2024, Nexus Mods clarified their policies regarding the hosting of paid mods, including disallowing mods that require other paid mods as a prerequisite as well as [[Game demo|lite and demo versions]] of externally hosted paid mods, citing that paid modding is "in direct conflict" with their goal of making modding easy.<ref name=":5" /> Bethesda replaced their [[Creation Club]] with Creations, a new system for free and paid mod hosting and distribution within their titles such as Skyrim. Implemented in 2023, reception of the system was widely negative,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cryer |first=Hirun |date=2023-12-06 |title="Disappointed" Skyrim modders pledge to never charge for their creations after Bethesda resurrects paid mod shop |url=https://www.gamesradar.com/disappointed-skyrim-modders-pledge-to-never-charge-for-their-creations-after-bethesda-resurrects-paid-mod-shop/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=GamesRadar+ |language=en}}</ref> with criticisms of the price, the harm on the community, and the practice of abandoning free mods in favor of pushing paid updated versions. The system was present in the 2024 release of [[Starfield (video game)|Starfield]], where it received similar negative reception<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rossi |first=José V. |date=2024-10-14 |title=Starfield Fans Still Aren't Happy About the Creation Club |url=https://gamerant.com/starfield-creation-club-fans-unhappy-high-prices-mods/ |access-date=2025-07-27 |website=Game Rant |language=en}}</ref>
==Types==
In the context of video games, the words "mod" and "modification" are not primarily academic terms and are sometimes used in conflicting ways to encompass and distinguish varieties of alterations to video games. Generally, as defined and used by players, mod makers, and gaming press, the definition of video game modding is the alteration or addition of content to an existing video game with [[user-generated content]], particularly on PC. This understanding can significantly differ between game genres.<ref name=":31">{{Cite journal |last=Walsdorff |first=Finja |date=2022 |title=Video Game Modding and Money. From Precarious Playbor to Reimbursed Labor of Love |url=https://www.gamescoop.uni-siegen.de/spielformen/index.php/journal/article/view/23/18 |journal=Spiel{{!}}Formen |volume=2 |doi=10.25969/mediarep/19008}}</ref><ref name=":27">{{Cite book |last=Sotamaa |first=Olli |url=https://researchportal.tuni.fi/en/publications/the-players-game-towards-understanding-player-production-among-co |title=The Player's Game: Towards Understanding Player Production Among Computer Game Cultures |date=2009 |publisher=Tampere University Press |isbn=978-951-44-7650-1 |pages=91-98 |language=English}}</ref>
===Total conversion===<!-- This section is linked from [[First-person shooter]] -->
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A ''total conversion'' is a mod of an existing game that extensively removes aspects of the original game, including art, characters, plot, and music, and replaces it with new assets that run on the game's engine<ref name=":18" /> Total conversions can result in a completely different [[video game genres|genre]] from the original.
Many popular total conversions are later turned into standalone games, replacing any remaining original assets to allow for commercial sale without [[copyright infringement]]. Some of these mods are even approved for sale while using the [[Intellectual property|IP]] of the original game, such as ''[[Black Mesa (video game)|Black Mesa]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2013-11-20-valve-gives-black-mesa-permission-to-be-a-commercial-product|title=Valve gives Black Mesa permission to be a commercial product|last=Matulef|first=Jeffrey|date=2013-11-20|website=Eurogamer|language=en-UK|access-date=2017-07-19}}</ref> [[League of Legends|''League of Legends'']] and [[Dota 2|''Dota 2'']] were both originally mods for [[Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos|''Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos'']].<ref>{{cite web |last=Reilly |first=Jim |date=May 11, 2012 |title=Valve, Blizzard Reach DOTA Trademark Agreement |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/05/11/valve-blizzard-reach-dota-trademark-agreement.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120724090129/http://www.gameinformer.com/b/news/archive/2012/05/11/valve-blizzard-reach-dota-trademark-agreement.aspx |archive-date=July 24, 2012 |access-date=March 30, 2016 |publisher=[[Game Informer]]}}</ref><ref name=":11" />
Due to the increasing complexity of games, the amount and quality of total conversion mods has decreased. Modders also blame a lack of resources, the remote chances of profit (due to EULAs prohibiting the sale of mods), and the likelihood of a [[Notice and take down|takedown notice]] from game companies as significant barriers to entry.<ref name=":18" />
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===Unofficial patch===
{{Main|Unofficial patch}}
An ''
=== Accessibility ===
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