Modding and Custom Content: Extending a Game’s Life Cycle

I’ve been thinking about a lot of games that have come and gone over the years. In the early days of gaming, a game was released, you played it and potentially your friends played it. After that, either you talked about it and forgot about it (potentially trading it in) or you played it off and on over the years just to enjoy the story or gameplay again. Now, the lifespan or life-cycle of a game has completely changed, thanks in part to modding and custom content.

Understand that I’m specifically talking about single-player games or games that are not considered a live service. MMOs, Live-Service games, and other such experiences are designed around a long-term lifespan. However, there are games that are entirely single-player that have had their lifespans extended. There are also games that have a multiplayer component but weren’t designed for more than content updates, that found new life in other ways.

For a single-player example, you can look at any Bethesda game in the last (potentially) 20 years. More specifically, you can look at the Fallout franchise (not Fallout 76) and The Elder Scrolls franchise. Modding communities have rallied around those franchises, building new quests, weapons and armor, and all sorts of other experiences. They build upon what is already there, and in the case of most Bethesda games, often fix bugs that the developers have no intention of fixing.

For a more open-ended example, you can look at Minecraft. What started out as a small indie darling has now become a household name with merchandise of its own. Not only that, but thanks to YouTube, Let’s Players, and streaming, Minecraft is used as a platform to tell stories and even digitally create (or re-create) beautiful structures and architecture.

Another example of a community rallying around building custom player-focused experiences is the community based around The Sims. Depending on what Sims game you prefer (2, 3, or even 4), there are communities online built around custom content, mods that change how the game works, and even custom characters.

I have also noticed that games that offer Steam Workshop support often have a community that lets the game last a little longer in the minds and hands of players as well. Games such as Slay the Spire, The Binding of Isaac, and other indie darlings have communities that still rally around them, even years later.

The Binding of Isaac is a unique case though, as the community around it inspired a revised main version, The Binding of Isaac: Rebirth as well as several expansions. It is proof that community engagement can really make or break the lifespan of a game. There are games that have released without incident but weren’t interesting enough to gather people together.

So, when I see indie developers (or developers in general) talking about modding, workshop support, or other such things, I’m usually excited. Giving players the freedom to tailor their experiences, make new experiences, and share things with other players can only ever be a good thing. If you’re an indie dev and it makes sense for your game (and budget), consider it. The player base will likely thank you for it.