Capcom wary of ‘reputational damage’ from mods, equating them to cheats

If you like to make or download mods for games like Resident Evil or Monster Hunter, it seems that Capcom doesn’t share your enthusiasm. In fact, when it comes to anti-cheat and anti-piracy measures, Capcom seems to believe mods should be “defined as cheats.”

That’s according to a recent presentation on the Capcom R&D YouTube channel (thanks, GamesRadar). A section of the video dedicated to the “state of cheats and piracy in PC games” asks whether anti-cheat or anti-piracy tech should target mods.

While the presentation acknowledges the popularity of modding, it regards them as a form of cheating, at least in relation to anti-piracy software. Specifically, it mentions “mods that are not officially supported by the game.”

Doesn’t necessarily say Capcom will be cracking down on them

The video goes on to say that unofficial content is “impossible to distinguish from cheat tools,” though it concedes that the majority of mods “can have a positive impact on the game.”

However, Capcom outlines some concerns about modding, such as “reputational damage” or mods that are “offensive to public order and morals.” On top of this, there’s the potential for games to become corrupt or damaged which can add to workload for customer support teams.

What this means going forward isn’t clear. The presentation strongly implies that Capcom’s R&D department is not 100% in favor of unofficial content for games. While there’s no indication the developer is looking to clamp down on mods, it seems clear that the video is concerned about how cheats (or mods) may harm a company’s reputation.