Skyrim’s first update in over a year brings support for paid mod sales. The emergence of a new certified creator system has both benefits and caution – AUTOMATON

Bethesda Softworks announced on December 5th, “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special EditionWe have started distributing the latest update for “. In addition to official support for Steam Deck, various bug fixes have been implemented. Additionally, there have been major changes to mod support, which may be causing some concerns for some users.overseas mediaPC Gameretc. are reported.

“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim” is an open world RPG created by Bethesda Game Studios (Bethesda) and released in November 2011. The setting is northern Skyrim. The protagonist, a nameless prisoner, escapes execution and embarks on an adventure surrounding dragons. A remastered version of “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition” was released in October 2016. In November 2021, the complete version “The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Anniversary Edition” was released to commemorate the 10th anniversary (released in Japan in September 2022).

For this work,Creation updatehas started distribution. This is the first update in over a year since Update 1.6.640, which was implemented in September 2022. In addition to various bug fixes, the PC version now officially supports Steam Deck and is now compatible with ultra-wide monitors. As a major change, a new item called “Creation” has been added, which combines Mod and Creation Club in the main menu.

In addition to free content in the traditional Creation Club, there is also content that can be purchased using paid currency Creation Club credits. Creation Club content was created by Bethesda and creators under contract with Bethesda. Creation Club was a place to provide official mods.

On the other hand, in the future, as a new initiative,Bethesda Game Studios Verified Creator Program(Bethesda Game Studios Verified Creator Program) launched. It is an extension of Creation Club, making it easier for creators to both create and release content. A team or individual can apply for the Certified Creator Program, and if approved, they will be allowed to sell their content.

Additionally, the Certified Creator Program has relaxed release requirements compared to the previous Creation Club. It has been shown that there is no need for compatibility with the background settings of the main game, and there are no restrictions on voiced content. The aim is to bring more flexibility to creator activities than the previous Creation Club, where content was produced under a contract.

The fact that Mod and Creation Club in the menu items have been integrated into “Creation” also seems to be due to the introduction of the certified creator program. The purpose is probably to eliminate the barriers between user-created mods and official mods. Creation has also started distributing new paid content.

However, some users seem to be concerned about the series of moves including the update.This is because in the past, Bethesda officialSelling mods for a fee on the Steam WorkshopIn some cases, measures to do so were immediately discontinued due to strong backlash from users.

The backlash seems to be due to concerns that the involvement of money could have a negative impact on the modding community. Currently, we can see that the entire community is working together to create mods by sharing knowledge and materials. On the other hand, there were concerns that if mods were to become “products for sale,” the cooperative relationships within the community would be disrupted, or that troubles would develop over the rights to content and ideas.

In response to this response, Bethesda announced thatMod paid sales supportAfter giving up on this idea, they started an initiative called Creation Club. This update and the introduction of the Certified Creator Program are measures to expand Creation Club, and there are concerns similar to those that were raised when mods were sold for a fee on the Steam Workshop.

On the other hand, there have been cases in the past where some mod creators have made their mods available to subscribers on creator support sites such as Patreon for a fee, and some have questioned this activity from a rights perspective. Additionally, on the major modding community site Nexus Mods, there are many cases where mods are deleted after it is discovered that 3D models and animations have been stolen. On Bethesda’s part, in addition to generating revenue from commissions, it seems that they are aiming to eliminate rights concerns surrounding mods by creating a place where mods can be officially managed and sold.

Additionally, being able to easily install Mods from the in-game menu has the advantage of lowering the hurdles to using Mods. For the PC version, the creation and use of mods using the unofficial tool “SKSE” for extending scripts is popular, but this tool is not available on consoles. The reason for the new official mod support seems to be to create an environment where users can casually enjoy mods on both PC and consoles without introducing such external tools.

By the way, official mod support for Bethesda’s latest game “Starfield” is scheduled to be available within 2024. Director and executive producer Todd Howard has previously explained that Starfield aims to create an environment where modders can work as a hobby as well as a hobby. The changes to mod support in The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition may also be a move towards creating such an environment.

“The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition” is currently on sale for PC (Steam/Epic Games Store) and PS4/PS5/Xbox One/Xbox Series X|S.