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{{Short description|
{{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,
▲{{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, commonly called a '''''mod''''', either changes an existing game or adds new content, with a varying complexity.<ref name=":15">{{cite book |last1=Thiel |first1=Sarah-Kristin |title=Proceedings of the 9th International Conference on Communities & Technologies - Transforming Communities |last2=Lyle |first2=Peter |date=3 June 2019 |isbn=978-1-4503-7162-9 |pages=198–209 |chapter=Malleable Games - A Literature Review on Communities of Game Modders |doi=10.1145/3328320.3328393 |chapter-url=https://pure.au.dk/ws/files/177771828/C_T19_IdentifyingGameModdingCommunities_cr.pdf |s2cid=150367691}}</ref> '''''Modders''','' people who mod video games,<ref name="auto" /> can introduce a variety of changes to games, including altering graphics, fixing [[Software bug|bugs]], and adding unique gameplay elements, all extending the replay value and interest of the game.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":12" /> Modding a game can also be understood as the act of seeking and installing mods to the player's game.<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Olson|first1=Cheryl K.|last2=Kutner|first2=Lawrence A.|last3=Warner|first3=Dorothy E.|last4=Almerigi|first4=Jason B.|last5=Baer|first5=Lee|last6=Nicholi|first6=Armand M.|last7=Beresin|first7=Eugene V.|title=Factors Correlated with Violent Video Game Use by Adolescent Boys and Girls|journal=[[Journal of Adolescent Health]]|date=July 2007|volume=41|issue=1|pages=77–83|doi=10.1016/j.jadohealth.2007.01.001|pmid=17577537}}</ref> Modding uses third-party software, which distinguishes it from tweaking pre-existing settings and in-game creations.<ref name="Poor" />
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" />
==History==
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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 |
[[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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==Development==
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,
[[Video game console|Video game consoles]] remain largely proprietary and are equipped with strict security measures and a closed infrastructure that prohibits modding. In some cases, the console versions of games, such as [[Fallout 4|''Fallout 4'']], allow modding through in-game menus, subject to approval.<ref name=":19" /><ref name=":31" /> In 2016, [[Sony]] began a limited program to allow mods for the [[PlayStation 4]] version of [[The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim|''The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim'']].<ref name=":19" /> These mods are often subject to size limitations and prohibit the use of external assets.<ref name=":31" />
===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,<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> and ''[[The Bard's Tale Construction Set]]'', released in 1991, which allow users to create games using the engines of their predecessors.<ref>{{Cite
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> As of 2020, 9 out of 10 of the most modded games on Nexus Mods have an official modding tool from the game developer.<ref name=":34" /> 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=
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 of [[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.
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 ===
Modder communities are made up of diverse interests, from military and social history to technological expertise. Combined, these skills add to the richness of mods.<ref name="auto3" /> Taking part in online discussions on modding forums is a cause of community feeling among modders.<ref name=":33">{{Cite journal |last=Poor |first=Nathaniel |date=2014-12-01 |title=Computer game modders’ motivations and sense of community: A mixed-methods approach |url=https://doi.org/10.1177/1461444813504266 |journal=New Media & Society |language=EN |volume=16 |issue=8 |pages=1249–1267 |doi=10.1177/1461444813504266 |issn=1461-4448}}</ref>
=== 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
== 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" /> Although concerns have been raised about the exploitation of modders as a source of "free labor", most modders view their work as a fun, "labor of love" for themselves and the community, rather than for the company.<ref name=":33" />
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>▼
▲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
== Issues ==
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===Legal status===
{{see also|Copyright and video games}}
Copyright law relating to video games and mod packs for PC games, is an evolving legal issue. Uncertainty revolves around which party is legally the copyright owner of the mods within the pack—the company that produced the game, the creators of the individual mods, or the end-user that created the compilation.
Some regard the fan use of copyrighted material in mods to be part of a "[[moral economy]]" and develop norms about the reuse of this material,<ref>{{cite journal|last1=Postigo|first1=H.|title=Video Game Appropriation through Modifications: Attitudes Concerning Intellectual Property among Modders and Fans|journal=[[Convergence (journal)|Convergence: The International Journal of Research into New Media Technologies]]|date=1 February 2008|volume=14|issue=1|pages=59–74|doi=10.1177/1354856507084419|s2cid=154247452}}</ref> often settling on a system of shared ownership, where mods and code are freely shared with the common good in mind.<ref name="auto1" /> "Moral ownership" over games they play leads modders to appropriate proprietary material and ignore copyright altogether.<ref name=":15" /> It has been argued that total conversion mods may be covered in the United States under the concept of [[fair use]].<ref name=":18" /> Modding can be compared to the [[open-source-software movement]] and [[open-source video game]] development.<ref name="auto4" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/brief-overview-of-the-differences-and-similarities-between-open-source-software-development-and-co-creation-in-digital-games-|title=Brief overview of the differences and similarities between open source software development and co-creation in digital games|first=Jedrzej|last=Czarnota|website=[[Gamasutra]]|date=2013-08-07|access-date=2023-03-11}}</ref> In 2006, ''[[Second Life]]'' generated interest from its focus of user-generated content (mods) and how [[intellectual property]] rights to this content remained with the creator. ''Second Life'' players are able to sell these items in an in-game market.<ref>{{cite book |last1=van der Graaf |first1=Shenja |title=ComMODify |chapter=Designing for Mod Development |pages=1–2 |date=2018 |publisher=Palgrave Macmillan, Cham |isbn=978-3-319-61499-1 |language=en-gb|doi=10.1007/978-3-319-61500-4}}</ref>
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Mods can alter games to reveal nudity and explicit content or introduce it via modded graphics. After the [[Hot Coffee (minigame)|"Hot Coffee" mod incident]], the games industry called for better control of explicit mods.<ref name="auto" />{{Explain|date=August 2025}} In 2025, [[Take-Two Interactive]] filed a [[DMCA]] complaint against two nude mods, hosted on Nexus, for a character in ''[[Mafia: The Old Country]]''.<ref name="Wolens">{{Cite web |last=Wolens |first=Joshua |date=2025-08-20 |title=Take-Two lawyers give Mafia nude mods the cement shoes treatment, DMCA projects that had the Don's daughter parading in the buff |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/games/action/take-two-lawyers-give-mafia-nude-mods-the-cement-shoes-treatment-dmca-projects-that-had-the-dons-daughter-parading-in-the-buff/ |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref> ''[[Kotaku]]'' noted that the later-removed mods tweaked the game's preexisting nude character model, simply allowing it to appear throughout the game.<ref name="Zwiezen">{{Cite web |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |date=2025-08-20 |title=Mafia: The Old Country Nude Mod Removed By Take-Two |url=https://kotaku.com/mafia-old-country-nude-mod-removed-take-two-lawyers-2000618893 |access-date=2025-08-21 |website=[[Kotaku]] |language=en-US}}</ref> [[Bethesda Softworks]] does not allow mods with nudity to be uploaded to its platforms.{{Citation needed|date=July 2025}} Nexus Mods allows for mods with nudity as long as nudity is not present in the preview image for the download page, such as Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Edition, which allows for body modification in Bethesda's ''Skyrim'' and ''[[Fallout 4]]'' and has been downloaded at least 8.2 million times.<ref name="auto8" /> Video game mods are subject to [[Pornography laws by region|regional legislation on pornography]]. Nexus Mods plans to add [[Age verification system|age verification]] to mods containing explicit content to comply with the [[Online Safety Act 2023|Online Safety Act]] in the UK and [[Digital Services Act]] in the EU.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hansford |first=Amelia |date=2025-07-02 |title=Top video game modding website to put adult content behind age checks |url=https://www.thepinknews.com/2025/07/02/nexus-mods-adult-content-age-checks/ |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=PinkNews {{!}} Latest lesbian, gay, bi and trans news {{!}} LGBTQ+ news |language=en-US}}</ref>
Game developers and publishers retain the discretion to limit and remove political and [[Discrimination|discriminatory]] mods for their games. In 2016, [[Paradox Interactive]] took down a Steam Workshop mod for their game ''[[Stellaris (video game)|Stellaris]]'' which replaced non-white human characters with white ones, stating that they did not "wish to enable discriminatory practices".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Hall |first=Charlie |date=2016-05-24 |title=Paradox removed a Steam mod that eliminates non-whites from Stellaris |url=https://www.polygon.com/2016/5/24/11760696/paradox-removes-discriminatory-mod-that-removed-non-white-races-from-stellaris |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=Polygon |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Chalk |first=Andy |date=2016-05-25 |title=Stellaris mod that makes all humans "European" is back on the Steam Workshop |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/paradox-pulls-stellaris-mod-that-makes-all-humans-european/ |access-date=2025-07-28 |work=PC Gamer |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Orland |first=Kyle |date=2016-05-25 |title=Paradox's removal of Stellaris' "Whites Only" mod draws controversy [Updated] |url=https://arstechnica.com/gaming/2016/05/paradoxs-removal-of-stellaris-whites-only-mod-draws-controversy/ |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=Ars Technica |language=en}}</ref> As of 2025, EA's mod policy stated that they held the right to "address any inappropriate Mods", including those with obscene or objectionable content.<ref name=":10">{{Cite magazine |last=Yzola |first=Alana |date=May 15, 2025 |title=EA Tried to Stop an 'Anti-DEI Mod' for 'The Sims 4'—but More Keep Surfacing |url=https://www.wired.com/story/ea-tried-to-stop-an-anti-dei-mod-for-the-sims-4-but-more-keep-surfacing/ |access-date=2025-07-28 |magazine=Wired |language=en-US |issn=1059-1028}}</ref> In the same year, the company submitted a [[Notice and take down|copyright infringement notice]] to forums hosting a ''The Sims 4'' mod which altered or removed representations of [[LGBTQ people|LGBTQ]] and Black people.<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite web |last=Hughes |first=William |date=May 15, 2025 |title=There are now "anti-DEI" mods infesting The Sims 4 |url=https://www.avclub.com/the-sims-4-anti-dei-mods-ea |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=AV Club |language=en-US}}</ref> Additionally, mod-hosting websites have removed potentially objectionable or divisive mods. In 2020, ahead of the [[2020 United States presidential election|United States presidential election]], Nexus Mods removed a mod for [[Marvel Rivals|''Marvel Rivals'']] which replaced the model for Captain America with one of Donald Trump, citing content that promotes "conflict, division and mob harassment" would be removed as per the website's Terms of Service.<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Cruz |first=Christopher |date=2025-01-09 |title='Marvel Rivals' Has a Donald Trump Problem |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/rs-gaming/marvel-rivals-donald-trump-mod-ban-1235230261/ |access-date=2025-07-28 |magazine=Rolling Stone |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Morics |first=Peter |date=2020-10-02 |title=Nexus Mods Bans Mods Based On U.S. Politics |url=https://screenrant.com/nexus-mods-bans-us-politics/ |access-date=2025-07-28 |website=ScreenRant |language=en}}</ref> The website has removed several mods that targeted [[LGBTQ
===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 |last=Zwiezen |first=Zack |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 |last=Williams |first=Leah J |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=
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 additionally pointing out that the selling of third-party assets used in many mods could be classified as copyright infringement. With Steam's
==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=
===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 ''unofficial patch'' is a mod of an existing game that fixes [[Software bug|bugs]] in a game or unlocks content normally inaccessible in official gameplay.{{Citation needed|date=August 2025}} Unofficial patches can reveal cut content from released games, whose files can be left in the game's code. An example is the [[Hot Coffee mod|''Hot Coffee'' mod]] for ''Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas'', which unlocks a sexually explicit minigame not accessible in the game's original release but left in its code.<ref name="auto">{{cite journal|last1=Sotamaa|first1=Olli|title=On modder labour, commodification of play, and mod competitions|journal=[[First Monday (journal)|First Monday]]|date=3 September 2007|volume=12|issue=9|doi=10.5210/fm.v12i9.2006|doi-access=free}}</ref><ref name=":18" /> As a result of the mod, the [[ESRB]] changed the rating of the game from ''Mature'' (M) to [[Entertainment Software Rating Board#Adults Only rating|''Adults Only'' (AO)]].<ref name="RerateToAORating">{{cite web |last=Thorsen
=== Accessibility ===
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=== Support continuation by mod ===
Games no longer actively supported by developers and publishers can be maintained and improved by player-made mods. After EA [[End-of-life (product)|ended support]] for ''[[MVP Baseball 2005]]'', due to losing the license for the [[Major League Baseball]], the game's modding community continued to support it by releasing updated roster lists and graphics mods every year, along with modding alternative baseball leagues for the game.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Good |first=Owen |date=2013-12-22 |title=Nine Years Later, Latin America's Leagues Keep MVP Baseball Alive |url=https://kotaku.com/nine-years-later-latin-americas-leagues-keep-mvp-base-1488236659 |access-date=2024-04-04 |website=Kotaku |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://grantland.com/the-triangle/mvp-baseball-2005-mod-community-mlb-video-games/ |title='MVP Baseball … 2015'? How the Best Baseball Video Game Ever Has Refused to Retire for 10 Years |date=April 14, 2015 |first=Ben |last=Lindbergh |publisher=[[Grantland.com]] |quote=Another factor in MVP's favor: The game allows greater access to its innards than most titles. [...] 2K's failure to match MVP's approval rating despite several years of running unopposed on the PC market, made MVP the go-to game for modders even as it lost its looks relative to 2K and The Show. The community's support peaked from 2005 through the first PC edition of 2K in 2009, tailed off for a time, and then ramped up again once Take-Two abandoned the PC market in 2013 and canceled 2K entirely last year. A decade of EA development made MVP the best baseball game on the PC market in 2005, and a decade of amateur development has helped it keep that title in 2015.
===User interface mod===
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