Nexus Mods is one of the largest and most popular mod-hosting websites around, and its original creator has announced that the site is now under new ownership.
Nexus Mods founder Robin Scott, better known as Dark0ne, published a lengthy blog post on Nexus Mods this morning explaining the situation:
“After almost 24 years of running Nexus Mods, the time has come for me to step back from the day-to-day management of the site. This isn’t a decision I’ve made lightly – far from it – but one I think is in both my and the community’s best interests.”
While Scott doesn’t expressly say who purchased Nexus Mods, they go on to explain:
“So yes, the ownership of Nexus Mods has changed hands, but I want to be clear, this isn’t some corporate ‘exit’ or a backroom deal. This is me doing something I probably should’ve done years ago: taking care of myself. Reclaiming some headspace. And finally letting go of the idea that I have to do everything and be responsible for everything myself.”
This has, of course, set off a chain of reactions ranging from best wishes to doom and gloom about the future of the modding website.
It seems like the worst fears of the site becoming a monthly subscription service are at the top of mind, especially for those who currently have “lifetime premium memberships” that were once offered.
Comment from r/pcgaming
Comment from r/pcgaming
Comment from r/pcgaming
Comment from r/pcgaming
Comment from r/pcgaming
The outpouring of love and support is a lot more heartfelt in the actual Nexus Mods comment section, with countless member expressing their gratitude for what Scott has provided over the years.
What happens to Nexus Mods now?
It remains to be seen what exactly will happen to Nexus Mods under its new ownership, but one thing is for sure: you can’t fault Scott for their decision.
Robin Scott, aka Dark0ne, created Nexus Mods in 2001 as a fan site for The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind. It eventually evolved into what you see now: a massive collection of PC gaming mods.
Since 2001, Scott explains, they’ve been “on call” every single day, helping to fix issues, prepping updates, parsing feedback, and dealing with community drama. Scott states in the blog post:
“The strain of being responsible for the behemoth I created has taken its toll. The stress of the job has been a regular source of anxiety and stress-related health issues. I realised that I have been burning out and this started to have an impact on my staff and Nexus Mods as a whole. So, I firmly believe that the best thing for the future of Nexus Mods is for me to step aside and bring in new leadership to steer the business forward with renewed energy to make Nexus Mods the modding community we all truly deserve.”
Scott has essentially put everything they have into Nexus Mods, and I don’t blame them at all for wanting to take a step back after 20+ years.
Scott explains that Nexus Mods is a team of 40 individuals who aren’t going anywhere despite the ownership change, which does bode well for the future.
What do you think of this Nexus Mods news? Do you use the site often? Are you worried about your existing membership? Let me know in the comments section below.