Age verification measures are set to be introduced for European and British modders using Nexus Mods.
Last month, Nexus Mods founder Robin "Dark0ne" Scott stated that for the benefit of both himself and the community, the "time has come to step back from the day-to-day running of the site."
However, these updates are not driven by the new ownership but are part of the company's legal requirement to comply with the UK's Online Safety Act and the EU's Digital Services Act.
"Due to the Online Safety Act and Digital Services Act, we are obligated as a UK-based company to ensure the continued removal of illegal content and to impose additional restrictions on minors' access to certain adult material," the company clarified.
"This presents us with a business decision: either remove all adult content for users in the UK and EU, or adjust our policies, which includes implementing age verification for some adult content.
"Adult content is a fundamental part of Nexus Mods' identity; removing it is not a viable option for us. We recognize that some users may find these changes inconvenient, but we are legally required to take these steps to continue hosting adult content lawfully."
More details will be provided once the finalized Adult Content Guidelines are ready. In the interim, the team announced it will update its terms of service "to include a clearer, more detailed definition of what constitutes illegal content under UK law and outline our measures to protect children from harm on the site."
"While such content was already prohibited, we are strengthening the language to eliminate any ambiguity," Nexus stated. "All users will be notified upon the update of the Terms of Service."
Nexus will also roll out automated detection for illegal or abusive content, with "any material of this nature being removed immediately, and the responsible user facing a permanent ban and a report to the National Crime Agency."
Additional changes include revised tagging for adult content, an enhanced block and mute system, and improved spam detection. Eventually, age verification will be required for "the majority of adult content hosted on the site" for all UK and EU users, while those outside Europe will "not be subject to age verification."
"The current method for verifying that you are over 18 will remain unchanged unless we are legally compelled to modify it to operate in your country," the team added.
In related news, Stellar Blade director and producer Kim Hyung Tae has reportedly expressed "full support" for mods. This is timely, as nearly 600 mods for the title are listed on Nexus, ranging from new skins and reshades to VR modifications and even nail polish. Dozens more, categorized as "adult," remain hidden from public view. We'll leave it at that.
