I disagree, that will move modding from an amateur activity that anyone can get into and have fun with to a cutthroat competitive business with each modder jealously guarding their ideas and techniques instead of freely sharing as many do now. I am already seeing some of this in modders demanding that no one be allowed to use their mod or any part of it as a basis for a newer mod. or demanding 'donations' to improve their mods (not allowed on the Nexus)



Imagine if you are a modder who made a FREE reasonably popular mod that allows other people to use it or parts of it. Then a semi professional modder takes a portion of your mod and creates a mod using it - and is paid for your work. Will you make any more free mods? or any more mods at all? Or allow anyone to use any part of your work to make money without giving you a cut? There will be constant accusations of copyright infringement, demands for mods to be removed because they copied something in someone elses mod, and threats of lawsuits. The little guys will be driven away by the money grubbers.



This actually is a violation of the Bethesda EULA - but because Newell's Steam is a big business he will get away with something that Bethesda doesn't allow the little guys to do.



Result - modding as we know it destroyed by greed. Many modders will pull their mods and just retire because it won't be fun any more. I think Gabe may be a bit naive - or just greedy with this suggestion. He sees it as a way for Steam to make more money. and possibly to get better quality mods by having more professional programmers submit mods in the hope of making money - the reality will be most modders who do manage to get paid get a little beer money. While a very few pros get a bit more - but still not much. Then steam reserves those good mods as Steam only exclusives.



The Nexus created the mod market by making mods free for anyone. Steam is trying to find a way to make even more money by monetizing mods. When they pay a modder, they can make the mod a steam exclusive. That will force more users to go to steam for mods. Just as they have forced gamers to go to Steam for games. And if another site has that mod - they will get a take down from steams lawyers. Because by paying - Steam owns the mod, not the creator.



Some of the problems I see - say a modder makes a decent mod, then uploads it to a mods site where mods are free. then someone gets it there and sells it to steam. Do you think steam is going to punish the person they bought the mod from, or the person who actually made the mod but uploaded it free somewhere else? - Many modders already refuse to upload to Steam's workshop because steam is slow to admit they allow people to upload mods they got from other sites.

