If you’ve never tried a video game mod, it’s time to change that.
What Are Video Game Mods?
A video game mod is a player-created modification that alters the video game.
Lucas Gouveia / How-To Geek | Rockstar
Mode developers are often referred to as “modders.”
Mods can vary wildly in terms of scope.
Before Bethesda added officialDLSSsupport toStarfield, modders did the heavy-lifting andadded DLSS supportin the form of a mod.
Trainwiz and friends
Sometimes mods outgrow the game they were initially designed for and become entirely new games.
Historic examples includeHalf-Lifemods likeCounter-Strike,Warcraft IIImodDota, andArma 2modDayZ.
Which Games Can Be Modded?
The Elder Scrolls V: SkyrimTim Brookes / How-To Geek
Support for mods largely depends on the video game developers.
But not all games are so easy to mod, and sometimes it’s outright impossible to do it.
Some publishers and developers aren’t so keen on modding, especially if the game is multiplayer-only.
For instance, Nintendo and Activision Blizzard often restrict mods and sometimes even takelegal action against modders.
The best places to download mods areNexus Mods,ModDB, and theSteam Workshop.
Modding inherently involvesdownloading unknown files to your PC, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.
It’s best to start with the most downloaded mods, as they’re popular for a reason.
Almost every mod will have a set of instructions on how to install it.
To revert your changes, simply replace the original files.
Most mods are enabled automatically, though.
Manual Installation vs. Mod Managers
The steps outlined above are for manual mod installations.
Fortunately, there are tools called mod managers, which can install and uninstall mods for you.
Some can even tune up your mods automatically.
The best example is Nexus Mods’Vortex Mod Manager.
Some games have their own first- or third-party mod managers.
If a game has a dedicated mod manager, I strongly recommend using that.
Then, simply unlock the mod in the list of mods.
In some cases, you’ll also have to click “Deploy Mods.”
It’s wise toback up your save filesbefore you mess with any mods.
If that doesn’t help things, disable all mods and loop back and try.
Mod managers let you uninstall or disable mods with a single button press.
If you’ve never trying modding your favorite games, you’re missing out.
