Video game modding has been around for a long time, and it’s one of the best parts of PC gaming. While some mods are compatible with consoles, the modding scene is primarily located on the PC due to that being the hub for cracking open a game’s code and changing it. Many mods are noncommercial fan projects that are meant to provide some sort of new experience for a game, whether that be just aesthetic changes or a whole new batch of content.First-person shooter games likeDoom,Quake, andHalf-Lifeare well-known for their vibrant and long-running modding scenes that have pumped out a massive number of quality games.
Valveis one of the few companies that has embraced mods completely, even offering official support for some of them and allowing certain mods to be sold on Steam. One of the most recent high-profile endorsed mods wasBlack Mesa, an HD remake ofHalf-Lifethat improved some of its rougher parts. These official mods are often celebrated, but for the past few years, a wrinkle came up that made official modding more expensive forValvegames. Fortunately, Valve has reached an agreement that could open the door for more premium mods in the future.
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Valve Reaching a Licensing Agreement With Microsoft is a Big Deal
In 2015, Microsoft acquired the Havok middleware software suite, which is a key part to the physics engines in many Valve games.Large-scale mods of Valve titleshave had to pay $50,000 in licensing fees since then, which is prohibitively expensive for an indie developer who just wants to base their development on a solid engine. However, Valve recently revealed that it had come to an agreement with Microsoft that these licensing fees will now be waived. Now, neither Valve nor ambitious developers need to worry about expensive licensing costs when it comes to making officially-supported mods. This opens the door for many great modding opportunities.
The Havok physics enginehas been a major component for hundreds of games for the past twenty years. Any gamer who has been actively engaging in the hobby for more than five years has probably played a game with Havok in it. This includes major releases from Valve includingTeam Fortress 2,Half-Life 2, and evenHalf-Life: Alyx. Microsoft’s acquisition of Havok and the changing gaming landscape have contributed to the license seeing less widespread use, but Valve seems committed to keeping it as a part of its engine. That means mods for many Valve titles must include it, presenting a surprise hurdle for a tiny number of mods until recently.
Where Mods For Valve Games Can Go From Here
Because it’s Valve’s decision as to whether a mod becomes official or not, modders don’t need to worry about proposing deals with Valve or entering any sort of competition to be picked up. Still, it’s in their best interests to try their hardest when developing and presenting their projects, as Valve employees might be watching. The best result is forthe modding community to become emboldenedby this and continue working on their projects with increased passion. Even if Valve doesn’t make a habit of sanctioning mods for sale, there can still be plenty of awesome mods and fan projects around for fans to enjoy.
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