Summary
- Skyrim modder Kukielle is quitting the modding scene.
- She cited the pressure to deliver updates she disagreed with, along with the "daily harassment" she endured, as key reasons behind her decision.
- Kukielle's Skyrim add-ons were downloaded hundreds of thousands of times from Nexus Mods since 2022.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim modder Kukielle is quitting modding, having announced as much in mid-November 2024. This turn of events is a blow to the Skyrim modding community, as Kukielle is a popular creator whose add-ons amassed hundreds of thousands of downloads in recent years.
Kukielle specialized in creating mods that expand Skyrim's roster of followers. Since 2022, she has developed a handful of such add-ons, the most popular being Daegon and Kaeserius, her first-ever mod, which has been downloaded nearly 270,000 times from Nexus Mods as of November 2024.
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Kukielle elected to quit Skyrim mod development just ahead of the second anniversary of Daegon and Kaeserius' release. She announced her decision in a November 10 post on Nexus Mods, shared in response to one user asking for more changes to her Little Witch Taeka Elixi mod. Kukielle declined the request, saying she spent years refining her add-ons based on user feedback, even when it conflicted with her own vision. "I'm done," she wrote, clarifying that she has no plans to update her existing mods or undertake any new projects.
Kukielle's Skyrim Mods Prompted 'Daily Harassment'
But the continuous pressure to deliver updates isn't the only reason why the modder decided to call it quits. Speaking to GamesRadar+, Kukielle revealed that she has been experiencing "daily harassment just for being a girl" ever since she started making mods. She also expressed frustration that her technical achievements were overlooked by the community even after she spent "thousands of hours" on creating advanced companion mods unlike anything that exists in the Skyrim modding space.
Elaborating on the degradation that she has faced, Kukielle revealed that some users kept referring to her using disparaging labels implying she makes sexual content for Skyrim, which is something that she never did. While several of her mods, including Daegon and Kaeserius, are labeled as adult content on Nexus Mods, Kukielle says this is simply on account of the swearing they include, noting that none of them are overtly sexual. The former modder has now chosen to focus on music, with her first effort on this front resulting in SPIDERWEB PRINCESS, an album she released on November 9, which she says draws inspiration from all of her experiences.
Despite her ambitious Skyrim mods being used by hundreds of thousands, Kukielle's Patreon page reveals that her efforts have garnered direct support from just a few hundred people, earning her just over $400 per month in donations as of November 2024. Her modest earnings and overall experience as a mod developer both highlight broader questions about the appreciation—or lack thereof—that the Skyrim community shows for its modders.
Sources: Kukielle / Nexus Mods, Kukielle / Patreon
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OpenCritic Reviews
- Top Critic Avg: 81 /100 Critics Rec: 83%
- Released
- November 11, 2011
- ESRB
- M For Mature 17+ Due To Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Sexual Themes, Use of Alcohol
- Developer(s)
- Bethesda Game Studios
- Publisher(s)
- Bethesda Softworks
WHERE TO PLAY
Winner of more than 200 Game of the Year Awards, The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim celebrates 10 years of adventuring in stunning detail. The Anniversary Edition includes a decade worth of content: the critically acclaimed core game and add-ons of Skyrim Special Edition, plus Creation Club content released on or prior to November 11, 2021.
EPIC FANTASY REBORN
Skyrim reimagines and revolutionizes the open-world fantasy epic, bringing to life a complete virtual world open for you to explore any way you choose.
LIVE ANOTHER LIFE, IN ANOTHER WORLD
Play any type of character you can imagine, and do whatever you want; the legendary freedom of choice, storytelling, and adventure of The Elder Scrolls is realized like never before.
YOU ARE WHAT YOU PLAY
Choose from hundreds of weapons, spells, and abilities. The new character system allows you to play any way you want and define yourself through your actions.
BATTLE DRAGONS
Battle ancient dragons like you’ve never seen. As Dragonborn, learn their secrets and harness their power for yourself.
- Engine
- Creation Engine
- Cross-Platform Play
- no
- Cross Save
- no
- Expansions
- Skyrim: Dragonborn, Skyrim: Hearthfire, Skyrim: Dawnguard
- Franchise
- The Elder Scrolls
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- yes
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Nintendo Switch, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- How Long To Beat
- 35 Hours
- X|S Optimized
- Yes
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium (Special Edition)
- File Size Xbox Series
- 29 GB (DECEMBER 2023)
- OpenCritic Rating
- Strong
