Capcom has ignited a heated discussion within the gaming community with its recent statements regarding modding games. The renowned publisher, known for its stellar titles like the Resident Evil 4 remake and Street Fighter 6, delved into the topics of anti-cheat and anti-piracy in a video available on the Capcom R&D YouTube channel.
During this discussion, one of Capcom’s programmers, Taro Yahagi, expressed a viewpoint that has raised eyebrows among players. While acknowledging that some players adore mods and the creative possibilities they offer, Yahagi suggested that they should actually be disapproved of. He stated, “Mods are popular with users because they allow them to add or change various features to an existing game.” Looking at mods from this perspective, their internal impact on a game isn’t vastly different from cheating, and some mods could even harm a company’s reputation.
Yahagi went on to explain, “For the purposes of anti-cheat and anti-piracy, all mods are defined as cheats. That is to say that mods that are not officially supported by the game are impossible to distinguish from cheat tools, implementation-wise.”
While some mods are created for humor or to enhance gameplay, not all mods are created equal. Some may have malicious intent or introduce bugs, leading to increased workloads for Capcom as affected players turn to the publisher’s support centers for assistance.
In response to these concerns, Capcom has integrated the anti-tamper technology Denuvo into many of its games. However, this move was met with backlash from fans. In April 2023, Capcom removed Denuvo from Resident Evil 8: Village due to player feedback.
The future of modding in Capcom’s games remains uncertain following this anti-cheat discussion. For now, players can still access a variety of mods for various games, but the topic of modding’s place in the gaming landscape continues to stir debate within the community.
