'No aggressive monetization' — Nexus Mods' new ownership responds to worried members

Nexus Mods founder Robin "Dark0ne" Scott announced yesterday that they've sold the company and are stepping back from the spotlight after nearly 24 years of running the popular PC game modding website.

The official announcement on the Nexus Mods news blog has so far sparked more than 550 comments, with countless others found on other PC-related forums.

While plenty of people are wishing Scott a fond farewell and some much-deserved R&R, others are spiraling as they come to terms with what new management might mean for the site.

Whereas Scott's original blog post announcing the sale didn't make it clear who bought the company, it didn't take long for members of the Resetera forum to dig up the truth.

Using Scott's cited "Foledinho (Victor)," Rapsak (Marinus)," and "Taagen (Nikolai)" names as those "you'll also be seeing more of," Resetera users pointed to a company called Chosen as the new owners of Nexus Mods.

This speculation has now been confirmed by Foledinho (aka Victor Folmann) themself in a comment pinned to Scott's original news post. Interestingly, Foledinho now has a bold "Site Owner" tag under their name.

What is 'Chosen' and why does it matter if it purchased Nexus Mods?

Foledinho's follow-up comment has a rather long list of answers to questions posed by the Nexus Mods community. It's signed by Marinus, Nikolai, and Victor, who can all be found on Chosen's LinkedIn page.

Perhaps the most pertinent is an answer as to why "Chosen" wasn't named in the original post from Robin Scott. As Foledinho's post answers:

"This post wasn’t about Chosen — it was about Robin and the legacy he built over 24 years. We’re the new owners and ultimate decision-makers at Nexus Mods. We’ll share more about ourselves when we’ve earned that right. For now, we’re focused on listening, learning, and making modding even easier, and yes, you’ll see us around in the community being active."

I can't argue with that rationale, but a quick look at Chosen's website shows a possible ulterior motive for why its name was omitted.

Chosen was founded this year, and it comes with the tagline, "We partner. We amplify. We conquer." Scrolling down the main page on Chosen's website eventually brings up "Insights to fuel your mind," with a number of links to Victor Folmann's (aka Foledinho) LinkedIn page.

One particular link goes to a post from seven months ago that lays out in detail how to monetize a gaming startup.

Considering new monetization techniques are what most Nexus Mods users are worried about following the sale of the company, there's certainly some smoke coming out of the situation.

In response to some comments on the LinkedIn post for the monetization chart, Folmann says that NFTs and crypto are 100% not happening. Thank goodness for that.

Nexus Mods' new ownership attempts to put worries to rest

Despite the general uproar and internet sleuthing that has uncovered a few tidbits worth worrying about, I'm remaining optimistic as to what Chosen plans to do with Nexus Mods.

The Q&A-style response from Victor, Marinus, and Nikolai helps back up that optimism, as it answers the toughest questions so far posed by the community. Here are some of the standout answers:

• Will you sell mods? No. Mods will always remain free.
• Will it cost money to download mods? No. Nothing changes here.
• Will you claim ownership of mods uploaded to Nexus Mods? Absolutely not. Mods belong to the creators who create them. No changes will be made.
• Will you revoke Lifetime Premium? No. Lifetime Premium means lifetime and it's safe.
• What restrictions are going to be placed on free accounts? None. Free accounts stay as they are.
• Will Robin's hands-on approach be lost? Robin’s legacy remains, and he'll continue to be involved and help guide the overall direction of the platform.

When asked about monetization, the answers get muddier. Chosen undoubtedly purchased Nexus Mods with the hopes of making money, and it will be interesting to see how it plays out.

In response to a question regarding new monetization practices added to the site in the future, Foledinho says:

"Monetization is hard and Nexus Mods is a complex platform. What matters most is continuing to support mod authors, delight users, and keep the lights on. We’re not changing the core model. No aggressive monetization. No paid mods. If anything, we’re aiming for fewer ads, not more. We’ll take a community-first, listening approach, and we won’t compromise on what’s made Nexus Mods special."

Foledinho and company continue the explanation in relation to a similar question, stating:

"Hosting billions of mod files and running the infrastructure behind Nexus Mods isn’t cheap. The site was “monetized early” back in 2007 with premium memberships and honestly, we think it was done right. It enabled healthy growth while supporting the community. We have no plans to change the core of how premium works. It gives users choice based on their needs — and that’s a good thing. Ads? We’re not fans either. They’re a necessary trade-off to keep the site running, but our goal is to reduce them over time, not increase them."

In a follow-up answer to another forum user asking about user data and its monetization potential, Foledinho says:

"There’s already a good balance at Nexus between monetization and supporting mod authors so they can make a living, and that’s something we’re committed to maintaining. Our focus will remain on making modding easier and better for the community, not radically changing the core model. Just to confirm, we'd never sell your data to cover costs."

I know that nothing is for sure, especially when it comes to modern business practices. However, as I said, I'm remaining optimistic as Chosen makes promises that I hope it can keep.

What do you think of the new ownership at Nexus Mods? Are you concerned for the future? What are some alternative PC game modding sites you use? Let me know in the comments section below!