It has just been revealed that Nexus Mods, the largest and oldest repository of PC mods, has been sold to new owners almost a quarter-century after the site was founded. In a blog post on the Nexus Mods platform, founder Robin ‘Dark0ne’ Scott announced the immense switch-up, explaining how anxiety and stress-related health issues have led to this ultimate decision.
He explained: ‘This isn’t some corporate “exit” or a backroom deal. This is me doing something I probably should’ve done years ago: taking care of myself.’
‘Continue Supporting Them’
Scott welcomed the new owners of Nexus Mods in the blog post – Foledinho, Rapsak, and Taagen. He explained that barely anything will change from a front-end perspective, and users will be able to enjoy the services they’ve known and appreciated for many years.
On the topic of what will change:
That includes some structural updates to the company ownership that we aren’t shouting about, but I want to be transparent: 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.
While I am stepping back, it’s important to understand that Nexus Mods isn’t just about me and hasn’t been for a long time. The Nexus Mods you see today has been created by a team of 40 incredibly dedicated people, some of whom have been here for over 9 years. They live and breathe modding, they care deeply, they’re experienced, committed, and they’re very much still here. None of that is changing.
Scott’s blog post explained exactly why he’s taking the ultimate step back from Nexus Mods:
The strain of being responsible for the behemoth I created has taken its toll. The stress of the job has been a regular source of anxiety and stress-related health issues. I realised that I have been burning out and this started to have an impact on my staff and Nexus Mods as a whole. So, I firmly believe that the best thing for the future of Nexus Mods is for me to step aside and bring in new leadership to steer the business forward with renewed energy to make Nexus Mods the modding community we all truly deserve.
One of the biggest reasons I’ve been doing this for so long is that I’ve never felt that I truly found someone who really “gets” the modding community the way I do. Finding a new owner who would be able to understand and respect the myriad intricacies of both Nexus Mods as a business and the wider modding community was essential.
Robin Scott founded Nexus in 2001, and as he puts it, the journey began in his bedroom ‘with a 56k modem’ and no ‘grand ambitions or intentions.’ What started as a passion project became his ‘entire adult life.’
All he asks of users sticking with the site is:
… it’s to continue supporting them, the site, and the community they help nurture every day.
Eurogamer did a little deeper digging on the topic and discovered that the newly named owners might be related to a company called Chosen, a growth-focused company that might change the monetisation model or services offered by Nexus Mods.
Only time will tell what happens now.
Do you still use Nexus Mods? Let me know on the Insider Gaming forum.
For more Insider Gaming coverage, check out the top ten Stellar Blade mods on Nexus
Grant has been gaming for 30+ years and in the industry for 10+. You'll probably find him playing a post-apocalyptic game or an extraction shooter somewhere.
More from Grant Taylor-Hill
