The Steam Workshop rolled out its paid mod system this past week, and the way everyone reacted, the world ended. Already, there have been some issues where things appeared to go wrong. Mods were removed from Nexus Mods so they could become exclusive, paid content through Steam. The payment structure doesn’t seem too sound, as people making the Skyrim mods are only getting a 25% cut of the cash. There was even an instance where a user named Chesko’s “Art of the Catch” mod was removed due to the unpermitted inclusion of an animation from “Fore’s New Idles in Skyrim.” It certainly seems like the world is ending.
Except it isn’t. I know that this seems like a sticky, tricky situation, and it absolutely is. Charging for mods is an unprecedented move. Steam Workshop is treading new ground here, and both good and bad things are bound to come from such an experiment. The thing to remember, however, is to be reasonable when dealing with such a thing.
Respecting people’s opinions is going to be key. Everyone will have different feelings, and that’s okay. We should all take care not to jump to conclusions and decide whether the Steam Workshop’s paid mods are right or wrong. The people who are all right with such a move have their reasons, which are valid. Yes, there are some Skyrim mods that are so good that the creators deserve to be paid for their work. Sure, paid mods could inspire people to get into game development and design. This could elevate the general quality and creativity of mods, if people know they’ll earn money from it. Positive things could come from such a move.
The people who are against paid mods have as many good reasons for their stance as well. Paid mods could very well lead to fewer free content upgrades for beloved games. Which could, in turn, lead to more piracy. Also, the amount of money Skyrim modders are getting for their Steam Workshop sales is concerning. A sense of entitlement could come from such a move, making people think the smallest updates are deserving of money. Not to mention the “Art of the Catch” issue, where a mod contained another mod’s content without permission.
There’s also a knee-jerk reaction occuring. Steam Workshop paid mods are new. The program isn’t even a week old. Assumptions are being made when it’s too early to even start thinking about such things. This is the sort of program where at least a month, perhaps even half a year, will be needed to determine the exact effect on the community. Things could be shaped and molded. People’s purchases and contributions, or lack there-of, will determine the success and future of such an endeavor.
Consider this a call for cooler heads. Steam Workshop’s paid mods are a hot button issue. It would be very easy for us all to pick a side and dig in our heels. But doing so would be very shortsighted. This is an experiment and deciding now, a week in, would be unrealistic and immature. Better we all give it at least a month, maybe even a little longer, to see where this all goes before we call it revolutionary or a death knell.