To avoid my mod being stolen and redistributed on Steam, I decided to upload it out there myself. Before my mod is published though, I have to accept these terms:

It's not finished then?

I am saddened to read this.

I'd like to hope this is just the old contract and they never updated it past paid mods.

If not, did they seriously not learn the first time? Did they somehow think a few months passing means that we're somehow going to be less hostile towards this idea?

People still talk about paid mods, people still get into debates and arguments over it in other TES mod communities.

Valve and Bethesda you're making a mistake if you try this, Bethesda you're making a mistake if you try this again with skyrim or fallout 4

I think they kept it there for a reason.

By the way, I didn't accept those terms, of course.

I guarantee this will be pushed for all future Bethesda games.

and there will be a massive outcry and the same thing will happen. Terrible PR is the end point with a lot of people really pissed off.

Except that, this time, they won't retreat. They'll just wait for the outcry to wear off; and it will wear off eventually.

Or not. Or just end up with paid mods making almost no profit because people hate the practice.