The new version of Skyrim will disrupt many of the game’s beloved mods. Which mods will survive Skyrim’s Anniversary Edition?
Maybe you’re excited for the Anniversary Edition of Skyrim. Perhaps you prefer the Special Edition. Whichever camp you’re in, it seems like the new release is going to have a bigger affect on the game than first thought.
According to reporting in PC Gamer, if you have the Special Edition of Skyrim, you’ll still receive updates when the Anniversary Edition comes out. This includes fishing, survival mode and the Saints & Seducers quest. The update will also change the Skyrim Script Extender (SKSE) plug in, which many of the game’s best mods rely on.
how Skyrim’s update WILL affect mods
On Reddit, an SKSE developer explained:
“Bethesda has decided to update the compiler used to build the 64-bit version of Skyrim from Visual Studio 2015 to Visual Studio 2019. This changes the way that the code is generated in a way that forces mod developers to start from scratch finding functions and writing hooks.”
While SKSE are planning to update their plugin, the update will affect mods which use native code plugins. The dev went on to explain:
“The plugin ecosystem has been around long enough that people have moved on, and code is left unmaintained. Effectively everyone who has written a native code plugin will need to do at least some amount of work to support AE. This realistically means that the native code mod scene is going to be broken for an unknown length of time after AE’s release.”
Thank goodness Steam has clarified that it won’t block older versions of games. You can do this using DepotDownloader. They better not break the Jason Statham mod.
While the new version and the updates will be welcome to some, we can expect some turbulence in the Skyrim fan community after the launch of the Anniversary Edition.
What do you think about this disruption coming from the release of Skyrim Anniversary Edition? Let us know via our social media channels.
Don’t forget you can find great games and more on the GameByte Shop! We’ve stocked our store with the latest games, merch and accessories. We might even have a new-gen console or two! Sign up to our newsletter to be notified of our console drops, deals and more. Please note the GameByte Shop is available for UK customers only.
Featured Image Credit: Bethesda