After making headlines last December for what was, in context, an entirely fair and even-handed request to Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth modders to "not to create or install anything offensive or inappropriate," director Naoki Hamaguchi was recently asked to clarify his stance by Automaton. "While the team has no plans for official in game mod support we respect the creativity of the modding community and welcome their creations," Hamaguchi said previously.
Speaking to Automaton, he followed up: “As someone who plays games on PC, I sometimes use mods myself. I’m aware that mods have come to be accepted by the community and that they bring enjoyment to many players – I see it as a positive thing myself.
I wasn’t trying to tell people not to use mods. It was more about being mindful. Both creators and users alike should ensure mods don’t detract from the intended game experience.” “There are mods that could shock some players, so I encourage users to research what they’re installing and for creators to be mindful of their audience," he continued. “Mods have played a significant role in the rise of the PC market.
Look at series like Fallout or The Elder Scrolls – even years after release, new mods breathe life into these games, making players want to come back to them.” “Volunteer communities often move faster than the companies that produced the source material, which creates an exciting atmosphere,” he finished. “I think It’s a fascinating market.” I do often find it interesting how Nexus Mods can act as a window into player's wishlists for additional or alternative features closely following a game's release.
Rebirth's Nexus Mods presence is currently mostly graphics mods like reshades or engine tweaks - which makes sense considering the issues some are having with the port.