Bethesda combats Fallout 4 console mod piracy with mandatory Steam login

Fallout 4 developer Bethesda has introduced new measures to the game’s modding support in order to stamp out piracy.

Both the PC and Xbox One versions of the RPG allow players to create and share mods, with PS4 compatibility close to a beta release.

Following the launch of modding for Xbox One in May, a number of PC creators complained that console players were taking their mods and releasing them wholesale on console as their own work.

In response, Bethesda created a path for authors to register DMCA takedown requests if they felt their work had been plagiarised on Xbox One.

Now the studio has taken another step towards eradicating mod piracy, by requiring that console players link their account for Bethesda’s mod platform to a Steam account before being allowed to upload mods.

“To link your Bethesda.net account, start Fallout 4, select Mods, and log in. This automatically links your Bethesda.net account to your Steam ID,” the latest Fallout 4 patch notes explained.

Xbox One and PS4 users can only access mods published on Bethesda.net, while Steam users can also opt to install third-party creations from any website – at their own risk.