Nexus Mods, a popular modding platform, finds itself at the center of a heated debate after removing over 500 user-created modifications for the game Marvel Rivals within a single month. The controversy ignited when the site took down mods that replaced Captain America's head with images of both Joe Biden and Donald Trump.
The platform's owner, known as TheDarkOne, addressed the situation on Reddit, clarifying that both mods were removed simultaneously to prevent accusations of political bias. TheDarkOne stated, "We removed the Biden mod the same day as the Trump mod to avoid bias. Yet, surprisingly, YouTube commentators remain silent on this aspect."
However, the fallout didn't stop there. TheDarkOne revealed that the decision resulted in a barrage of online abuse, including death threats and accusations of pedophilia. "We're receiving death threats, being called pedophiles, and subjected to all kinds of insults simply because someone chose to escalate this issue," TheDarkOne added.
This isn't the first time Nexus Mods has faced backlash over mod removals. A similar incident occurred in 2022, involving a Spider-Man Remastered mod that replaced rainbow flags with American flags. At the time, the site's administrators publicly defended their stance on inclusivity and their commitment to removing content deemed discriminatory.
TheDarkOne concluded by stating, "We won't waste our time on those who find this removal controversial."
