The release of the remastered edition of Doom on Steam last week has sparked controversy within the modding community. While the remaster includes a built-in mod browser that supports many existing mods, modders are frustrated by the lack of moderation and proper crediting. The mod browser offers two pathways for mod installation.
The “Featured mods” section directs users to an officially curated list of correctly credited mods. However, the “Browse” section leads to what game designer and modder Jean-Paul LeBreton describes as a “giant chum-bucket of random uploads.
With over 700 mods available and an unmoderated submission process, the browser has become a breeding ground for unauthorized content and misattributed mods. “What I immediately saw and hated was random names beneath community works, clearly uploaded without anyone’s permission,” says LeBreton.
The lack of control poses a significant issue for the community, as some mods lack an available or willing original author to contest unauthorized uploads.
Modding community’s unauthorized content issues
Additionally, certain mods simply do not work within the remaster’s limitations, leading to crashes and further frustration.
LeBreton warns that if any of his Doom maps and mods appear on the browser, it will be “explicitly without his permission.” This sentiment is echoed by other modders upset at seeing their hard work misappropriated and misrepresented. The company behind the remaster, Zenimax, has a complicated relationship with modders. While much of the Bethesda library encourages modding, previous attempts to monetize mods have created friction.
Modders argue that if mods are a selling point for the remaster, proper moderation and crediting should be a given. As the Doom modding community grapples with the ramifications of this unmoderated “chum-bucket,” they hope for a more respectful and regulated approach shortly. It remains to be seen how Zenimax will address these grievances and restore trust within the community that has helped build the Doom phenomenon over the past 30 years.
