However, in the process, a critical mod was broken
Bethesda has quietly updated Skyrim to add paid mod support. Again.
Skyrim users began to notice a large new update for the RPG, weighing in at 12GB across all platforms, earlier today, December 5. According to ResetEra, the update primarily adds a new page to the in-game store, allowing users to pay for some user-created mods.
According to the official patch notes, this new store page is called ‘Creations,’ and it appears to have completely replaced the community-driven ‘Creation Club’ page, allowing for a place where mods and Creation Club content will exist in one place. That means it’s not all paid content – Skyrim users are reporting both free and paid DLC in the Creations page, so you won’t have to pay real money in the form of a microtransaction currency for everything.
The Creations update also includes a slew of PC-specific features such as ultrawide monitor and Steam Deck support, new console functionality (not gaming consoles), and macro support.
Unfortunately, many existing Skyrim mods have reportedly been “broken” by the new update. The update has hit the popular ‘SKSE64’ mod for Skyrim, which is a critical script extension tool that enables a slew of other mods, according to numerous users in the ResetEra thread.
In other words, breaking this one mod could have a cascade of consequences for other Skyrim mods that use the script extension as a foundation. Fortunately, Bethesda is reportedly working with the team behind SKSE64 to help fix the mod, according to a NexusMods post from a community manager.
Bethesda finally acknowledged the Creations page in a series of website posts hours after it went live, calling it an “evolution” of the Creation Club. Bethesda describes this as an update to the existing modding storefront rather than a complete replacement.
The developer previously published an FAQ for paid modders, confirming that Creations will consolidate all pre-existing mods and Creation Club content, as well as new additions, into a single location. According to the FAQ, only creators who have been accepted into the Verified Creator Program will be able to have their content vetted and sold through Creations.
Steam introduced a way for modders to charge for their creations through the store’s workshop back in 2015. Of course, Bethesda was involved in this, and together with Valve, they quickly reversed the decision in the face of massive player backlash. Paid mods for Skyrim were still available through the Creation Club.
This could be a foreshadowing of things to come for Starfield. Mod support isn’t expected for the spacefaring RPG until 2024, but if Bethesda intends to permanently replace the Creation Club – which has been available for Skyrim for years – it marks a significant shift for the developer. When official mod support begins, it’s safe to assume that Starfield will offer a similar Creations suite. It remains to be seen how the feature will change between now and then.