Paradox Interactive is now providing third-party open modding on the Xbox One. Microsoft announced that Paradox Mods will be “a direct line [for mod creators] to showcase and publish their work for Xbox One gamers to enjoy.” While this is already available for the PC, it is a big deal for console players who have not had the choice of modding games under less constrained rules, for example, the mods available for Bethesda’s The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim and Fallout 4. This is also welcome news for console modders since in the past it has been difficult to break ground with limited resources, especially on the PlayStation 4. Paradox permits players to upload their mods for approval and download for owned games that are limited in number as of today.
Currently, there are a growing number of mods available for the Xbox One since this recent system addition. Games that have mods ready to go and are also on sale on the Paradox Launcher include: Stellaris, Cities: Skylines, and Surviving Mars. The Paradox Launcher is one of the first that will allow for an all-in-one mod service experience, allowing modders upload to separate platforms with a single version of a mod instead of different versions for PC and console. Surviving Mars, a science-fiction survival, simulator was the first game that received mod support
Not only is Paradox providing this modding service that will no doubt continue to grow, but they have introduced keyboard and mouse support for the Xbox One. This addition should make building and editing some aspects of games easier for those wishing to upload a mod. And for those who are feeling creative and up for sending a mod through Paradox, they can easily upload here. It’s clear that this an important step for Microsoft and Paradox who have stated that “[m]odding has long been an important part of our community and our players have always found creative ways to engage with our games…we hope that you will let your imaginations run wild and experiment with new ways to play on Xbox One.”