One of the greatest strengths of PC gaming is its modding community. Once practically any game is released, modders get right to work making everything from major bug fixes to silly add-ons. One of the most heavily modded games out there is The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim, which has recently surpassed over 2 billion mod downloads on NexusMods. Kinda crazy, yeah?

As reported by Tech4Gamers, NexusMods recently shared that stunning number, but it actually goes even further than that. Apparently, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition has gotten even more downloads, to the tune of over 6 billion. It kind of makes one wonder just how many recent fans out there have actually experienced the original, vanilla version of the game so many of us old timers enjoyed back in 2011.

Having gotten a taste of Skyrim’s modding scene back in 2015 with the release of Skyrim Special Edition on Xbox One, I can absolutely understand why the game has gotten and still is getting so much attention from the modding scene. Getting more Skyrim is kind of a dream come true for those who just love exploring its landscapes and taking on whatever adventures they encounter along the way. The game felt limitless in the beginning (in that sense), and, with mods, it pretty much actually is!

There’s also the hunger for a new, high quality Bethesda experience, which the studio simply has not been able to deliver in the decade plus since Skyrim released. There were decent games, sure, but nothing approaching the level of Skyrim, Oblivion or even Morrowind. Skyrim is, so far, Bethesda’s last truly great game, and, depending on how the next Elder Scrolls turns out, it might just remain so. Which, I guess it’s fine since mod development for it shows no signs of slowing down.

Have you been enjoying the modded Skyrim experience? What are some of your favorite mods?

Image captured by Hatm0nster