Rockstar Games just launched the Cfx Marketplace. This is a new digital storefront where Grand Theft Auto 5 and Red Dead Redemption 2 players can download multiplayer mods specific to FiveM and RedM.
Cfx Marketplace is officially described as a "curated digital storefront where talented FiveM/RedM creators can share and sell their work." While there are a selection of mods that can be freely downloaded through Cfx Marketplace, most of the mods offered through Cfx Marketplace come at a price.
After the handful of free items offered, the priced content begins at $4.99 for a one time purchase or $4.99 per month. From there, the prices just get a little nutty. There is a Housing System pack for $104.99, a "Theme Park DLC" for $129.99, and an "Activities Bundle" going for $389.99. Then there is an emergency vehicle pack going for a staggering $499.99. Of the 323 mods currently available through Cfx Marketplace, roughly 3/4ths of them are priced at $20 or more.
It will be interesting to see how this paid mod marketplace pans out. The idea of keeping mods locked behind a paywall has a rather long history. Back in 2015, Bethesda and Valve launched paid mods through Steam for The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim. That attempt at paid mods lasted all of three days before it was pulled following a huge amount of negative backlash.
Bethesda later tried again in December 2023 with the Verified Creator Program for Skyrim Special Edition. The Verified Creator Program does offer paid mods and provides royalties to the mod creators. Players can purchase Creations using Creation Credits at a conversion rate of about 100 Creation Credit per $1 USD. The cost of the Skyrim Special Edition mods are far more reasonable than most of the mods available through the Cfx Marketplace, with prices ranging from just 100 Creation Credits (~$1 USD) to 1,560 Creation Credits at most (~$15.60 USD). Though still very controversial with fans, Bethesda's second attempt at paid mods has somehow stuck around now for over two years.
Following the success with their second go at paid mods for Skyrim, Bethesda also introduced paid mods for Starfield.
