Is modding video games free labor or participatory culture? Hector Postigo raised this question in the article about the relationship between modders and the gaming industry.
On one side of the story, modding could be seen as a relevant characteristic of participatory culture in video games because consumers of the games are contributing and sharing more, or different, content to play. Avid fans strive to take a role in changing narratives and game play styles for their favorite games to have a diverse experience of the same game. Also, not all PC game companies disapprove of modding. Some developers include tool kits or host events specifically to encourage modding.
Does the game industry accept modders because they are, in essence, free labor? In comparison to the average media consumer, modders are held in a brighter light from the game industry’s perspective because they are potential sources of innovative content. However, most modders do not mod to develop skills for a particular career. Instead, they do it because they really enjoy the game they’re doing it to. It is taking an awesome game and giving it some of your very own flavor. Are modders being taken advantage of by large corporate video game companies? Most modders, from my experience, would respond that they don’t care because they’re having fun doing it.
In conclusion, modding video games can be considered both free labor and participatory culture. The fundamentals of a participatory culture coincide with the professional production process of the industry. Gamers may mod for a plethora of reasons, and I believe they should be supported, both by the gaming industry as well as the community of online players.
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