10 Mods That Became Full Blown Games

Every video game begins with a simple idea, and some games provide a platform for others to bring their own ideas to life. We call those awesome creators “modders”.

Offering players a modding toolkit for your game is a proven way to foster a long-lasting community dedicated to the game’s longevity.

Mods allow players to bring their creative visions to life in a less daunting environment compared to traditional game development platforms.

Occasionally, a mod stands out for its exceptional quality or for gathering a cult following. In some cases, this success allows the creator to evolve the concept beyond the limitations of a modding toolkit, transforming it into a standalone game – and sometimes, it leads to great success.

Today, we present 10 examples of mods that became full-blown, standalone games.

10 Garry’s Mod

Half-Life 2

Systems

Released

November 29, 2006

Multiplayer

Local Co-Op

Engine

Source

ESRB

m

Expand

Mods are generally the expression of the creativity of their creators, an outlet to use a game’s assets to express themselves. It’s peculiar, then, that Garry’s Mod‘s purpose puts the burden of creativity on the player rather than the author.

Garry’s Mod began as a mod for Half-Life 2, utilizing the Source Engine to create a sandbox where users could manipulate the game’s assets to create scenes, minigames, animations, or even short films.

The mod quickly exploded in popularity and has been the source of countless internet memes ever since.

The standalone version of the mod hit Steam in 2006 and has been sitting on an “Overwhelmingly Positive” user rating since the very beginning.

While Source Filmmaker has since replaced it as the primary tool for creating animations and shorts, thousands still play Garry’s Mod daily.

9 Auto Chess

DotA 2

Systems

Released

July 9, 2013

Engine

Source 2

ESRB

r

Expand

Auto Chess is a strategy game where your main job is to mix and match your pieces, level them up, place them on the board, and then sit back while the AI sorts out their differences via heavy use of particle effects and clashing sounds.

What’s funny is that Auto Chess is actually a game born from a mod… that came from another mod!

The original was DotA Auto Chess, which spawned from, predictably, DotA 2 – also on this list. The combination of its super simple gameplay loop, low skill barrier, and quick matches made the mod an instant hit.

When the standalone version dropped in 2019, it was such a smash that it inspired a whole wave of competitors, including Riot Games’ Teamfight Tactics.

8 DayZ

ARMA 2

DayZ was the first big hit by PlayerUnknown. ARMA 2’s systems let players interact with the environment (and each other) in ways beyond just shooting.

With that in mind, creating a mod that fills the map with zombies and turns the game into a sandbox survival with a strong emphasis on player interaction was a stroke of genius.

DayZ quickly climbed the ranks, thanks in part to content creators sharing their wild experiences.

The standalone version of the mod left Early Access with moderate success, sparking a wave of competitors. Most of them, however, fizzled out of existence – looking at you, H1Z1.

7 PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds

ARMA 3

Battle Royale is now one of the most popular genres in gaming, but just a few years ago, it was barely on the radar. That all changed when our favorite madman, PlayerUnknown, decided to turn ARMA 3 into a 100-player free-for-all destruction fest.

PlayerUnknown’s Battleground (PUBG for short) is what happens when someone spends too much time working on a slow, high-stakes, sandbox survival game and finally snaps.

PUBG flipped the script on DayZ, offering frenetic action, split-second decision-making, and fast-paced, self-contained matches.

The standalone version of PUBG is still going strong today, but its biggest legacy is how it popularized the Battle Royale genre, paving the way for juggernauts like Fortnite and Call of Duty: Warzone.

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6 The Forgotten City

The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim

Considering the sheer number of mods released for Skyrim every week, even after more than a decade, it’s surprising how few have made the leap to standalone releases.

One notable exception is The Forgotten City, which is one of the few – if not the only – Skyrim mods to become its own game.

By the time the standalone version was released, the mod had been downloaded over 3 million times. The game’s gripping, mysterious tale of a city frozen in time even earned an Australian Writers Guild Award for its outstanding storytelling.

The standalone game received universal acclaim from both players and critics alike, cementing the reputation that the original mod had already built.

5 Counter-Strike

Half-Life

Systems

Franchise

Counter-Strike

Released

September 27, 2023

Engine

Source 2 Engine

ESRB

m

Expand

Some mods evolve into games, and then some mods become global phenomena. Counter-Strike is the perfect example of the latter.

This competitive arena shooter started as a mod for the original Half-Life and became so popular that Valve brought in the entire development team (and the IP) to turn Counter-Strike into a full-fledged game.

The rest, as they say, is history. Counter-Strike became—and still is—one of the most played e-sports in the world and received several sequels, with the latest incarnation being Counter-Strike 2.

4 The Stanley Parable

Half-Life 2

Systems

Released

October 17, 2013

Engine

unity, source

ESRB

E10+ For Everyone 10+ due to Fantasy Violence, Mild Blood, Mild Language, Tobacco Reference

How Long To Beat

2 Hours

Metascore

89

PS Plus Availability

N/A

Expand

“This is the story of a man named Stanley.” This iconic first line introduces a game that brilliantly showcases what video games can achieve narratively in ways no other medium can.

The Stanley Parable is a fable about freedom, choice, and the delicate nature of the fourth wall.

This quirky and thought-provoking tale began as a mod for Half-Life 2, eventually releasing as a standalone game in 2013, with an Ultra Deluxe edition arriving in 2022, further cementing its cult status in gaming history.

What makes The Stanley Parable so captivating is its ability to toy with player expectations, offering multiple bizarre endings based on even the smallest choices, pushing the boundaries of what interactive narrative can achieve.

3 Natural Selection 2

Half-Life

Back when class-based FPS games hadn’t yet been overtaken by hero shooters, there was a mod that pitted aliens against humans in a fight to the death.

Natural Selection was a multiplayer Half-Life mod where players, divided into these two factions, battled for control of a giant spaceship.

The mod featured a unique first-person strategy element, allowing players to leverage the specific strengths and weaknesses of their characters to sway the battle in their favor.

Aliens could for example deploy organic traps and spread hives, while marines could set up turrets and supply ammo to allies.

Natural Selection technically never had a standalone version, but its success led to the development of a direct sequel as a separate game.

2 Chivalry: Medieval Warfare

Half-Life 2

Continuing the trend of successful Half-Life 2 mods, we have Chivalry: Medieval Warfare – an online PvP medieval battle simulator that puts player skill front and center.

Timing your strikes and delivering precise blows are far more beneficial than mindless button-mashing.

The game began as Age of Chivalry, a total conversion mod for Half-Life 2 that transported players into a medieval fantasy world.

At the time, it was considered one of the most ambitious mods available, so it’s no surprise that it eventually evolved into a full-fledged, standalone game.

1 The entire MOBA genre

Warcraft III: Reign of Chaos

Systems

Released

October 27, 2009

Engine

Proprietary

ESRB

T for Teen: Blood, Fantasy Violence, Mild Suggestive Themes, Use of Alcohol and Tobacco

Metascore

78

Expand

Few mods are as legendary and beloved as Defense of the Ancients (DotA). This custom map for Warcraft III transformed the real-time strategy game into a 5v5 showdown, with each player controlling a hero equipped with unique skills and builds.

DotA essentially created an entirely new genre, though it didn’t get an official name until the developers moved beyond the mod to create standalone titles – two, in fact. One developer, IceFrog, kept the rights and partnered with Valve to create DotA 2, while Pendragon and Guinsoo founded Riot Games and gave us League of Legends.

One of the developers, IceFrog, retained the rights to the IP and went to create DotA 2 with Valve while Guinsoo went to Riot Games to create League of Legends.

And with that, the Multiplayer Online Battle Arena (MOBA) genre was established, forever changing the gaming landscape.

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