Mods have arguably become an increasingly important factor in the commercial success of some games, as they add a depth to the original work. The term mod is derived from the act of modifying a game. To mod a game is to create custom levels, objects, characters, or even unique or stand-alone game from an existing game engine. Many games come with an editor that allow for easier modding. A person who mods a game is called a modder. Once you have a few mods downloaded you may notice the load order start to populate. This list is important because some mods and files need to be loaded by the game in a specific order. Modders create and release extra content for fun and for the love of scripting.

The gaming industry is currently facing the question of how much it should embrace the players’ contribution in creating new material for the game or mod-communities as part of their structure within the game. Some software companies openly accept and even encourage such communities. Others have chosen to enclose their games in heavily policed copyright or intellectual property rights (IPR) regimes and close down sites that they see as infringing their ownership of a game.