Nexus Modshas been sold to an unknown buyer. This sale marks the first time in the site’s 24 year history that it will have a new owner, as creator Dark0ne steps down.
In ablog post, Dark0ne says that users shouldn’t expect many changes, but that it’s time for him to step back. He says that running the site for more than two decades has had an impact of his mental health, burning him out and being a “regular source of anxiety”.
Nexus Mods Is Getting A New Owner
“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,” the blog post reads. “I didn’t set out to build a business, I just wanted to make a place where modders could share their work without worrying it would vanish into the internet either the next time a fansite went offline or a publisher decided they were done with it. That idea grew legs, sprouted arms, and turned into Nexus Mods.
“Since then, this site has been my entire adult life. Every single day, for over two decades, I’ve been “on call”, whether it was fixing issues, reading feedback, pushing updates, or getting pulled into the latest bit of community drama.”
He continues, saying that the responsibilites that came with operating Nexus Mods have been a “regular source of anxiety and stress-related health issues.” He says that this is something he “probably should’ve done years ago”, and is confident that he’s found the right people to take the reins has he steps back.
We have no idea who the new owners are, but Dark0ne reassures the community that everything should remain much the same. “They’re about long-term stability, not changing the values or direction of the platform. Nexus Mods is community-first and mod-author focused, that’s not up for negotiation.”
It’s difficult to predict who the site has been sold to. It’s possible that it’s gone to another member of the community, or at least a group of people who are passionate about the modding scene. With that said, given how Nexus Mods is seen astheplace for modding, it is an attractive business prospect for many in the gaming industry, so we could very well see a familar face come in and scoop the site up.
As some users cry about perceived censorship in the comments, the wording suggests that Nexus Mods' moderation strategy will remain the same. Some of the most high profile examples of Nexus Mods moderating the site includebanning a Starfield mod that removed the ability to choose your character’s pronouns, and aSpider-Man Remastered Mod for removing the pride flag. It did allow anOblivion Remasteredmod that changed the wording of “Body Type 1” and Body Type 2” to “Male” and “Female”, however, so it’s very much a case by case basis.
