Within the first week of Starfield’s release, more than 600 mods were uploaded, with over 2.2 million downloads and nearly 100 new mods added daily. However, seasoned Skyrim players will find this surge all too familiar.
Modding communities for Bethesda games are prolific and active, creating a plethora of custom content that extends the life and enjoyment of these titles. But there is an inherent trap with getting into modding that veterans of Bethesda are familiar with.
There is One Major Problem With Modding That Longtime Fans Know All Too Well
The cycle of endlessly modding a game instead of playing it is a phenomenon many Skyrim players know all too well.
A common sentiment among modders, as seen in discussions on r/skyrim, is the endless pursuit of the perfect mod setup.
Many players confess to spending hundreds of hours installing and testing mods without ever completing the main quest or reaching higher character levels.
The frustration of “forever-modding” is a well-known issue. Other players have expressed the difficulty of avoiding this trap, noting that their time in the game is dominated by mod research and testing rather than actual gameplay.
This same cycle is repeating in Starfield, where the ease of adding mods opens a floodgate of continuous tweaking and modification, often leading to instability and burnout.
Modders also struggle with the temptation to constantly check for new mods, disrupting their gameplay. As mentioned, in r/skyrimmods, the pattern of playing for a short period before returning to Nexus Mods for another tweak is common.
This behavior detracts from the immersive experience that these expansive worlds are meant to provide. And it never stops because even today Skyrim still gets new mods.
Bethesda’s Latest Title Also Faces The Same Problems Now
A significant part of the problem lies in the nature of modding itself. Every new mod introduces potential conflicts with existing ones, and with each additional mod, the complexity of these interactions increases exponentially.
And despite Bethesda’s efforts to support the modding community, it hasn’t been very fruitful.
I think I may have too many mods and now I need help. Issues getting into main menu.
byu/hippityhoppity23 inStarfield
For instance, players have encountered issues where too many mods prevent the game from launching properly. While you can always verify the game files to fix any potential problems, the inherent instability of running multiple mods together remains.
Despite these challenges, the allure of mods remains strong. For many players, mods are a way to keep a game fresh and engaging long after its initial release.
The creativity and innovation seen in the modding community can breathe new life into a game, offering experiences that the original developers never envisioned.
And so, while Bethesda’s new space adventure offers a new universe to explore, the issues associated with modding remain largely the same.
What do you think of modding in Bethesda titles? Let us know in the comments.
