Modding goes a long way to extending the longevity of a game. Skyrim has thrived for over a decade thanks to mods; the classic Doom games are as relevant today thanks to the countless fan-made expansions (which Bethesda recently brought to console); and, despite radio silence from Valve for over a decade, Half-Life fans have feasted on unofficial remakes and incredible story-driven spin-offs, with Valve even permitting Crowbar Collective to sell Black Mesa on its storefront.
But not every publisher celebrates mods and the positive impact they can have. The most infamous being Take-Two Interactive and Nintendo, which have taken down several ambitious fan-led projects and even videos of mods. While the reason isn't always clear, it's usually assumed that it boils down to IP law, with publishers treating these community ventures as copyright infringement that could potentially harm the brand or compete with official products.
Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke has a solution to those concerns, however: "You could just say, 'Hey, I think what you're doing is really cool, here's a license,' and that solves it". This is what happened with the Stardew Valley mod Baldur's Village, which received a DMCA notice...
