14 DAY TRIAL // The group of people that have made ModDB the go to place for those looking to mod their gaming experience have unveiled a new initiative they hope will be just as much of a game changer. Desura, as it is named, is a digital distribution service similar to already established channels like Steam, Impulse, Direct2Drive or GamersGate.
The twist is that Desura will not only deliver PC-based videogames for those interested but also aims to provide them with mods just as easily while making the community of players the center stone of its strategy.
Their mission statement reads, “There are plenty of great free mods and user made addons out there for games, which few know about and even fewer can install. Being able to customize your games is at the heart of everything Desura does, and we aim to make user made content as accessible as possible. From simple maps through to entire conversions and even whole new games, we hope to put what you want to play at your fingertips.”
Desura also aims to allow developers and publishers to get the tools needed to show off their games in all their glory, making it easy for players to actually see what they are buying and take informed decisions. They will also allow them to post screenshots and reviews of the titles they own by ensuring that the community is free to talk about all the content offered.
But the real breakthrough that Desura, still in beta stage and accessible by invitation only, could make is in delivering mods for the games it sells. If the developers behind ModDB are able to create a system where it takes one click to download a mod for something like ArmaA 2 or Rome: Total War and another click to install or uninstall it, then more people might turn to playing modded titles on the PC.