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Nexus Mods Acquires SteamDB, Service Stays Free

The acquisition pairs SteamDB's years of game build and update history with Nexus Mods' mod ecosystem, which could turn version compatibility from a forum post into a tool-checked fact, addressing the common problem of mods breaking after silent Steam updates.

Key Facts

  • Nexus Mods announced on September 2, 2026, that it has taken over operation of SteamDB.
  • SteamDB was founded in 2013 by xPaw and Marlamin as a hobby project.
  • xPaw said he had been looking for a partner to take over SteamDB since January 2026.
  • Nexus Mods stated that SteamDB will remain free, with no ads and no Nexus Mods account required.
  • Nexus Mods plans to use SteamDB's game build and update history for mod compatibility checks, but those features are at the concept stage.

Reporting from 6 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Automaton, GIGAZINE, and 2 more.

Nexus Mods Acquires SteamDB, Service Stays Free

Nexus Mods, the major PC game mod distribution site, announced on September 2 that it has taken over operation of SteamDB, the unofficial Steam database. SteamDB co-founder xPaw confirmed the move, saying he had been seeking a partner to take over the project for years. SteamDB began in 2013 as a hobby project by xPaw and Marlamin, who later left, leaving xPaw to run the site almost alone. He described the workload as equivalent to a full-time job and said his passion faded through the COVID-19 pandemic and the rise of AI, leaving him close to burnout. He chose Nexus Mods because he judged it shared SteamDB's identity and community values. Nexus Mods stated that SteamDB will remain an independent service, keeping its name, brand, and community, and that all currently free features will stay free, with no ads planned and no Nexus Mods account required. The company plans to invest in SteamDB's infrastructure, security, and scalability, and to use SteamDB's historical data on game builds and updates to improve mod compatibility checks, though those features are still at the concept stage. xPaw will support the transition over the coming months.

  • Nexus Mods was founded by Robin Scott in 2001 and is based in Devon, England. Scott sold the business to Chosen Inc. in 2025, citing stress from running the operation, and now stays on in a support role.
  • xPaw said he spent almost all of his adult life on SteamDB and expressed gratitude to the users who supported him. He began his search for a new operator in January 2026.
  • Nexus Mods' FAQ states SteamDB "needs to generate revenue" but rules out ads, instead considering partnerships and affiliate links that do not harm the user experience.
  • The FAQ promises no selling of personal data and keeps browser extensions free and ad-free.
  • Nexus Mods said the most common reason mods stop working is "not bad mods, but silent game updates," citing a 3 AM Steam patch that breaks a setup 200 mods depended on.
  • SteamDB tracks the full game-to-build-to-depot-to-manifest-to-file list for the Steam catalog, with years of history. Planned tool uses include version pinning, where "This collection requires Skyrim 1.6.1170" becomes machine-checkable data instead of a forum post.
  • SteamDB's game file tracking has historically relied on donated Steam keys; Nexus Mods will now fund that itself to improve coverage.
  • An API for developers and publishers is planned for the future.
  • Nexus Mods said SteamDB will move from a one-person operation to a cross-functional team, addressing "everything depending on one person burning out."
  • On the acquisition, Nexus Mods said: "Enshittification is when owners extract value while degrading the product. Our plan is the opposite: invest money and people to improve the product. Judge us by what we deliver."

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 6 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

SteamDB Nexus Mods

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