There are those who look down upon user-generated content, but it’s impacts definitely shouldn’t be ignored. User-generated content can be a great way for players to identify with the games they’re playing along with the characters they’re playing as. It’s something which often stems directly from peoples’ excitement or interest in the games they play. A lot of the time, this content manifests as mods to outfits or environments with the idea of increasing immersion, creativity and personal control. However, user-generated content can exist outside of the game’s digital world, as well. One example of this is fan art. I’ve seen a lot of drawings/tributes to a lot of different games on twitter, and the dedication people put into their work is deeply impressive. This goes to show how impactful games can be. Another example of user-generated would be fan made merchandise sold on websites like Etsy. This can include physical drawings, keychains, and figures, amongst other things. All of these things share the purpose of enhancing the experience of the player. Lots of people, including myself, get invested in the world, plot and design of the games they play to the point where they want to engage with it in other ways. I don’t personally make a ton of user-generated content, but I definitely pay attention to the things made by others. It something which tends to deepen the investment I already had in different games, making me think deeper about them.

This gets into why user-generated content is such a big deal in the first place. User-generated content is important because of the way it empowers people who play games and wish to either enhance things or experience them differently. Being able to say that you contributed to something you care about, whether directly or indirectly, is a positive feeling. I’ve seen peoples’ mods being used and subsequently made popular by players, including lets players on YouTube. PlayStation recently put out a game that’s all about user-generated content called Dreams. This game allows you to make your own creations, from games to movies to music. Not only can you make a myriad of different creations, you can play those made by others, as well. This is potentially a way for future game developers to discover their talents and/or passion. It could be the things that gets them through the door in the industry. These are only some of the things brought about by the existence of user-generated content along with the outlets for it. One of the most important things in the gaming community is people coming together to talk about the games they play, and user-generated content can increase this tenfold. Mods are something which are not only growing in popularity, they are being encouraged. Whether it’s a tiny adjustment like changing a character’s outfit or a big one like totally transforming NPCs, it’s bound to make a difference. User-generated creations outside of the games, including drawings/tributes, are also a big deal because they draw people in and increase their degree of investment. I don’t think user-generated content should be looked down upon, but instead viewed in a positive light.