Mods and modding communities
Changing the game
A mod changes how a game works: new items, new rules, new tools. Modding communities have kept some games popular for decades.
What a mod is
Mojang defines a mod as "an original plug-in that extends the functionality of Minecraft but that doesn't contain a substantial part of our copyrightable code or content."
Quick check
By Mojang's definition, can a mod include a copy of the whole game?
- No: it must not contain a substantial part of Mojang's code or content
- Yes, always
- Yes, if it is free
Show the answer
No: it must not contain a substantial part of Mojang's code or content
A mod adds to the game. It does not carry the game's own code with it.
Mojang's rules for mods
- Mod onlyShare "the mod only and not a modded version of Minecraft".
- No play-to-earnNo mod where players earn currency "that can be cashed out for real-world currency".
- No outside checksNo mod that unlocks in-game things because a player owns something outside the game.
Why the rules exist
Mojang: "we don't want mods that affect players' experience and creates scarcity of in-game content based off out-of-game conditions." Its example: a mod that checks whether a player owns an NFT to unlock skins.
Allowed or not?
A fan makes a Shard Garden mod with new flower colours, shared as a small add-on. Kai checks it against rules like Mojang's. Is it fine?
- Yes: an add-on that extends the game is a mod
- No: all mods are banned
- Only if it costs money
Show the answer
Yes: an add-on that extends the game is a mod
It adds to the game, doesn't copy it, and has no cash-out or outside checks.
Shard Garden's mod policy
Kai publishes a mod policy: what is allowed, what is not, and how to share mods safely. Mods never touch online leaderboards, so nobody wins a race with a mod.
Quick check
A mod that helps a player win online races against others is fine.
- True
- False
Show the answer
False
Online competition must be fair for everyone. Mods stay in offline and private play.
Paying creators
When players build things other players love, studios find ways to pay them.
Bolt says: Next: creator programmes.
Fact-checked 12 October 2026
- Minecraft: Usage Guidelines minecraft.net