Nexus Mods, a popular platform for game modifications, finds itself at the center of a heated debate after removing over 500 mods in a single month. The controversy ignited when mods for Marvel Rivals, replacing Captain America's head with images of Joe Biden and Donald Trump, were taken down.
Nexus Mods' owner, TheDarkOne, clarified the situation on Reddit, explaining that both mods were removed simultaneously to prevent accusations of political bias. TheDarkOne stated, "We removed the Biden mod on the same day as the Trump mod to avoid bias. But for some reason YouTube bloggers are silent about it."
However, this action sparked a backlash, resulting in TheDarkOne receiving numerous threats. "Today we're receiving death threats, being called pedophiles, and subjected to all sorts of insults simply because someone decided to inflame this issue," TheDarkOne added.
This isn't the first time Nexus Mods has faced criticism over mod removals. A similar incident occurred in 2022 when a Spider-Man Remastered mod replacing rainbow flags with American flags was removed. The platform's stance on inclusivity and its rejection of content deemed discriminatory was publicly affirmed at the time.
TheDarkOne concluded, "We're not going to waste our time on people who think this is cause for uproar." The incident highlights the ongoing challenges faced by online platforms in moderating user-generated content and navigating potentially controversial political topics.