The reason I say this is simple. There is largely no retention for games on consoles. Games have a short life cycle and become stale in a matter of months. Before you know it, there's always a new major release or something else around the corner. Especially with major annual franchises such as Call of Duty and Assassin's Creed, people just don't have time to play the same game for years and years. It's the main reason MMORPGs have largely not been successful on consoles.

This leads to my next major point. Some of the best mods are years in the making. We aren't going to see much in the way of anything great in terms of mods for a while (especially without the Creation Kit released). The reason modding works on PC is because PC gamers will literally play BGS games years after they have been released. There is still a dedicated modding community for Morrowind, and it released 13 years ago. How many console gamers are still playing Morrowind on the original Xbox?

The other issue is console gamers won't be getting mods immediately like PC, especially those who purchase the game on the PS4. By the time mods start making their way through the channels, more than likely much of the player base will have beaten the game and moved on to something else. The only hope BGS has is their season pass will incentivize more longevity and that others will come back for the new DLC they release, exposing them to the mods that have been released.

BGS really has a small window to hope that mods catch fire. By the time the modding community has even developed enough to provide anything substantial for many, I think most console gamers would have either traded Fallout 4 in or it will be collecting dust on a shelf somewhere. I think mods will provide more incentive to play BGS games on consoles, but I don't believe they'll have the same kind of impact on sales that they do on PC for a multitude of reasons.

I haven't even mentioned the fact that BGS will censor what kinds of mods are even possible on console. Some of the most popular mods use third party software (script extenders, mod manager, enhanced natural beauty, sweetFX) which won't be possible or legal on consoles. Other popular mods, such as advlt mods (excessive gore, nudity, etc.) won't be allowed either due to ESRB restrictions. There also won't be any mods that improve textures, graphical fidelity, distance draw, number of npcs rendered, etc. due to the locked hardware. This will leave what few mods consoles have largely being cosmetic and probably not that compelling for many.

I think it's great for all parties concerned that mods are coming to consoles. I just don't know if they will really work as the platforms are too constrained to really take advantage of what makes modding great and console gamers won't have the patience to wait.

Oh I like the usual jab at console gamers at the end, about us not having the patience to wait. Ok, let's start with the fact that I play on both PC and console, and I can tell you that games last or grow stale, depending on how much people like them. It's has nothing to do with the platform.

No one knows how mods will take off on consoles. Only time will tell. But the patience of a console gamer has nothing to do with it.

The point you are making is a good one, but it's all one big assumption. You are assuming people will play the game once and be done. Most casuals will but a lot of the Fallout fanbase is also on consoles. Those who are actual fans actually know about the modding features (due to the PC elitist constantly waving it in their faces) and are willing to wait however long to see how the mods turn out. You also gotta keep in mind the people who will pick up the game months or even years after it's release. I didn't become a huge fallout fan until I randomly picked up at a gamestop.....3 years after the game's release.

Oh yes us filthy casual console kiddies dont have no patience golly me what ever shall we do.

It's not a "usual jab." It's the truth. I too play on consoles and PC. In fact, I grew up as a console gamer. The trend on consoles is to play a game, complete it, and move on to the next one. That's literally how the industry is built and publishers support that mentality. That is why annual titles such as Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty even exist. Constantly providing something new and discarding the old. The PC platform has always been different because it caters to a different kind of audience. Especially since Fallout 4 has no multiplayer or online features, it will become stale even faster for console gamers. Honestly, how many console gamers are still playing Skyrim compared to PC gamers? There are major differences betweein console gaming and PC gaming, which will lead to a very different result for mods as a result.

When I had a 360 I played Oblivion and Skyrim years after there releases, especially Skyrim. I think the quality of the game dictates how long I'll play for me, Beth games are the best investment I can make in a game I know I'll put in 100hrs easy at minimum. I doubt it'll change for Fallout 4, honestly Mods are just a bonus for us on consoles and if seen as such the disappointment should be minimal. As far as us not having patience to play the same game for years? Blow it out your ass.

I wonder if the years we've spent console gaming have left us with better imaginations than you, You seem to think no one plays a Beth game for more than a year without having mods? You don't need mods to enjoy a game for countless hours.

Lol

I've read through your post a couple of times, and I cant help but wonder what it is that you intended for this thread. Did you want console gamers to revolt against your statement? Did you want everyone to shake their heads and agree with you?

Is this just a rant? Help me out here...

As a console gamer who plays BGS games for years after release I am mildly offended by this. I'll see the mods that will come to me, though I know they won't be the best stuff.

[censored] it I'm getting more angry over time. I will be playing Fallout 4 until The Elder Scrolls 6! Even then I'll be going back and forth because I still love Fallout too. Post before I start cursing randomly.

I honestly think that is the case for most gamers honestly. The "Fallout fanbase" is a small niche, primarily of people on these boards, who will play this game for hundreds of hours and make multiple characters. That is not the majority of the fan base picking this game up. I will not be surprised if 70% of the people who buy Fallout 4 will play it for a month or two and then be done with it. That's just the nature of AAA gaming.

It's true that re-releasing the game and latecomers could be exposed to mods, but it's also true most of the people who will be exposed to this game will be at its release. AAA games always see their greatest sales within their first month or so. After that the game drops off rather quickly and regardless of BGS' claim of over 400 hours of content, it will be no different. More than likely most will just go through the main quest, do some of the optional quests, and then they'll move on to No Man's Sky, Uncharted 4, or whatever else is coming out early 2016.

I think that there's an excellent chance that mods on consoles will be incredibly awesome. That said, the Creation Kit not being released for another couple months is a GIGANTIC problem; or, at least, it would be if the target audience was the casual player .

Modding tends to be the purview of people that have enjoyed the base game, and want more.

You do raise an excellent point, though. What do you think the oversight process will be for uploading mods? Who's going to decide what can and can't be made available?

And trying to run the cool mods without a script extender.... man, I am glad that my PC is my ONLY gaming console.

Why does the op think Bethesda is hoping for a game changer? They are trying to make it possible to run mods on consoles - and that is all.

It is not being done to drive console sales. I see it as just a nice gesture to the modding community.

And like the Creation Kit on PCs, it is appreciated.

The point of the thread is what the title suggests. I do not believe mods will be that successful on consoles for many reasons I listed. If people get offended or construe it improperly they are merely assuming intent that is not there. This is merely me making an observation about the complex process of modding and how long it takes for the community to develop. Most console games do not have a long shelf life, thus modding may never be a factor on consoles as it will come too late. There are always exceptions, but I'm talking about the vast majority of gamers. No, if you are on this thread you are probably not the "vast majority of gamers."

Most of his points are absurd though of course no one is playing VANILLA Morrowind on consoles anymore! That [censored] was 2 generations ago the [censored] is your point? That we don't play a game that we can't mod that he hasn't played unmodified in decades?

LAME.

I still play all my games... I played Fallout 3 not but two days ago.

Oh please. It's not the truth. PCs and consoles both have games that are shortly lived or played literally for years, like the GTA and Bethesda games. And now it's Witcher.

Yes, there are major differences but longevity is not one of them. How about all those ten dollar indie games you see on Steam? PC games have their short term games too.

And Bethesda games do not become stale on consoles. That is a complete failacy believed by people that think Bethesda games get boring without mods.

I'm not really sure how BGS plans to moderate mods. I think it's going to be a nightmare honestly and we'll see how fast mods even come to consoles. Mod authors already have to worry enough about making mods compatible with other mods on PC. I'm not sure if they'll put in the extra effort to make them work on consoles. There's just a lot up in the air at this point and there will have to be a major push to really make modding work on consoles. I think it may eventually, but I think it will be too late.

BGS is a business. Building mod tools is incredibly time consuming and expensive for them. As they suggested in their post when the paid mods scandal was happening, BGS has likely lost millions of dollars because of modding of their games.

BGS, and more specifically Bethesda Softworks, sees mods as a great opportunity are not only expanding the player base but increasing the longevity of their game significantly. Player-created content can provide limitless hours of new content and fun. If BGS can even get a fraction of that potential on consoles, there's a lot of money to be made.

Modding coming to consoles is purely about money.

I know you'd like to think your [censored] don't stank
But lean a little bit closer, see
Roses really smell like poo ooo oop
Yeah, roses really smell like poo ooo oop.

Yeah... there are a lot of very dedicated BGS fans who play on consoles. I would agree that, proportionally, there may be more dedicated players on the PC, but the console player base for these games is MASSIVE. Even if only 5 percent of them stick around long enough for the modding scene to start maturing, that's still a lot of people. I'd also wager that, once some really cool mods start becoming available for consoles, many players will return to check them out.

If the modding scene on consoles fails, it won't be because there aren't enough players that would be interested in them. If anything, it will be because of poor implementation, performance, or heavy restrictions.

Oh, you misunderstood. I'm not offended. I'm a console turned PC gamer myself. I was just wondering why you'd throw yourself in the fire like this. You had to have known that your observations would surely be taken as a statement with intent.

Look at all the responses so far..

EDIT: Even your response to me, you parenthesized "vast majority of gamers." I can't help but feel like you're trying to assert yourself above other people!

I still play morrowind on my 360 from time to time.

The Witcher 3 is the first multiplatform title in the series. TW1 is only on PC and TW2 was on PC first and then the Xbox 360 a year later. Not to mention TW3 came out earlier this year, so no, console gamers have not been playing TW3 for years. Also, the first expansion just released recently so of course many will go back to play that content. Have console gamers been playing TW3 consistently since it was released back in May? Unlikely.

As far as knowing what kind of longevity BGS games and Rockstar games have on consoles, that's purely conjecture. If you want to use Rockstar as an example, I believe 70% of the player base never even completed Red Dead Redemption's story. With those kind of staggering statistics, it's unlikely many of the gamers buying these titles are playing them for long periods of time besides a few months at most.

BGS vanilla games are fine as they are. Mods merely providing infinite hours of content so that the game never dies. It's why Morrowind and Oblivion are still very much alive on PC. The point of the thread is by the time modding finally kicks off, it will probably be too late for the majority of gamers that picked up the game. The issue here is you are assuming you represent all console gamers. Just because you play the vanilla title for hundreds of hours does not mean everybody on consoles does.

I understand the player base on consoles is massive. What I'm arguing is the majority of those players won't stick around long enough for mods to be relevant. That is the issue here. Modding takes time, especially the best mods. They could take months if not years to develop. It's like game development honestly.

I really think what BGS will have to do is when they release DLC from their season pass, they'll have to say "btw we have a lot more mods available" and that might reel some folks in. Otherwise, I think the debut of mods on consoles is going to be incredibly shaky.

"people just don't have the time"

I love people who assume everyone has the exact same situation with them.

I did too! That menus music doe....the feels. Yeah I played it up until I switched to PS4 in the new generation. Also/however OP literally said how many ppl still play Morrowind on the original xbox?' The answer remains: "Are you high?"

I think it's worth discussing just how effective modding will be on consoles. I want it to thrive. The better modding performs on consoles, the more other developers will jump on board and follow suit. CDPR has been trying to provide more modding support since TW2. Rockstar was even encouraging it with GTA V. The success of modding on consoles can only provide benefits to all parties involved.

I put vast majority of gamers in quotes to suggest anyone on thise board is probably not in that group. The vast majority of gamers do not go to boards to talk about a game. They wait for release, go to gamestop, play the game for a few months, and then move on to something else. For those of us who are Fallout/TES diehards to play these games for years to come and for hundreds of hours, we are in the minority.

I am not speaking specifically to those who are the exception to the rule and continue to play Morrowind, Oblivion, or Skyrim on consoles to this day. I am looking at the industry as a whole and trying to determine if BGS truly believes this will work. Getting mods to consoles finally is a huge step. I'm just skeptical that they'll have the capacity to implement it in such a way that will really make it successful on consoles.