Nexus Mods, the renowned hub for user-generated mods among PC gamers, has found itself at the center of community apprehension following its recent acquisition. Robin “Dark0ne” Scott, the founder who built the platform over the past 17 years, announced his decision to sell the site, citing ongoing stress as a major factor. He claimed that operations would largely remain unchanged but provided scant information on the acquiring party, prompting users to seek answers.
The new owners, affiliated with a company named Chosen, express themselves as a more ethical alternative to traditional venture capital but are still focused on scaling and monetization strategies. This raised alarms among Nexus Mods users when they discovered the LinkedIn profile of Chosen’s founder, Victor Folmann, which featured concerning topics such as microtransactions and NFTs under a “Gaming Startup Monetization Cheat Sheet.”
In response to rising concerns, Folmann, known as Foledinho online, actively addressed the community’s fears on Scott’s announcement post, a section that has been frequently disabled due to overwhelming commentary. Folmann affirmed that mods would remain free, creators would retain ownership of their work, and that free accounts wouldn’t face new restrictions. He acknowledged that while ads are necessary for site maintenance, the aim is to reduce them over time rather than increase their presence.
Folmann noted that Nexus Mods had previously established a sound model with premium memberships and confirmed no immediate plans to alter this core structure. However, he warned that sustaining a platform hosting billions of mod files incurs high costs, and inquiries about future monetization strategies were left open.
“Monetization is hard and Nexus Mods is a complex platform,” Folmann stated. He emphasized the importance of supporting mod authors and maintaining user satisfaction while ensuring site sustainability—promising no aggressive monetization strategies or paid mods. “If anything, we’re aiming for fewer ads, not more. We’re committed to a community-first approach and won’t compromise on what makes Nexus Mods special.”
A spokespeople for Nexus Mods reiterated this commitment, stating, “Our focus is on continuity, not disruption. We have a very experienced team here of 40 highly talented people with deep ties to the community. The new owners are embedded in the team, working closely with us.”
Scott, in his original announcement, relayed his gradual transition from daily operations, explaining that the team had taken on more responsibilities and that this shift formalizes the new leadership to guide Nexus Mods into the future. He mentioned that users would see new faces among the leadership but reassured them that these individuals are passionate about the platform and its community.
However, some users questioned why Chosen wasn’t named before the sale. Folmann clarified that the post was meant to honor Scott’s legacy rather than introduce the new owners. “This post wasn’t about Chosen. It was about Robin and the legacy he built over 24 years,” he stated. He assured the community that the new team would prioritize listening and learning while enhancing the modding experience.
The newly established leadership still must navigate ongoing controversies within the Nexus Mods community, particularly surrounding diversity and inclusion issues. The site has enforced policies against mods that remove inclusive elements, a stance highlighted when a mod removing Pride flags was taken down in 2022. Scott firmly defended the site’s inclusive policies, claiming, “We are for inclusivity, we are for diversity.”
The future remains uncertain regarding how new management will uphold these policies. As moderation continues on Scott’s announcement thread, a Nexus Mods moderator thanked users for respectful discourse while recognizing that discussions had strayed into chaos and confusion.
They noted: “We appreciate the thoughtful and (mostly) respectful discussion that took place here around this news announcement. Unfortunately, the thread has gradually crossed from spirited discourse into spirited chaos. Comments will be disabled temporarily, but the gates will open once again tomorrow.”