Valve have announced a controversial new scheme in partnership with Skyrim creators Bethesda, allowing modders to set a price on their Workshop content.
The announcement paints Skyrim as the first in an expanding roster of games with paid mod support. Nineteen mods have been listed so far, ranging from graphics overhauls to new weapons and reskins.
Mod authors receive 25% of whatever price they opt for, with the rest split between Valve and the game's developers. The company has promised a 24-hour return period if the mod is unsatisfactory or non-functional.
While there's no doubt that mod creators deserve some recompense, and paid content could incentivise better mods and increased support, Valve don't exactly have the best record when it comes to policing user submitted content. Many people worry that the move will signal the end of hobbyist modding, and point to Valve's growing monopoly over every aspect of PC gaming.
It is worth noting that many modders already have Patreons and other means to donate without losing a 75% cut to developers. The spectre of mods only being approved on Steam and being issued takedowns elsewhere is a scary prospect indeed.
Equally true however is that bazillions of mods are still out there for free, and many more will continue to be made. Not everyone is entirely sold on the whole 'microtransaction' thing just yet - especially if the thing they're paying for is jiggle physics.