Do mods remove Steam achievements?

To directly answer the question, mods do not remove Steam achievements, but they can prevent new achievements from being unlocked while the mods are enabled. This is because Steam achievement tracking is disabled when mods are active, to prevent players from earning achievements unfairly or through exploits introduced by the mods.

Understanding Modding and Steam Achievements

Introduction to Modding

Modding is a popular aspect of PC gaming, allowing players to modify games and add new content, fix bugs, or enhance gameplay mechanics. However, the relationship between mods and Steam achievements can be complex, leading to confusion among gamers.

How Mods Affect Achievements

When a mod is enabled, Steam achievement tracking is typically disabled to ensure that players do not earn achievements through means that are not intended by the game developers. This does not mean that existing achievements are removed, but rather that new achievements cannot be unlocked until the mods are disabled and the game is reverted to its original state.

Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

1. Can you get Steam achievements on a modded world? No, Steam achievement tracking is disabled when mods are enabled, but local game achievements may still be earned.
2. Do mods disable Steam achievements? No, mods do not disable existing achievements, but they prevent new achievements from being unlocked.
3. Can you use mods to get Steam achievements? No, once a game has a mod enabled, achievements cannot be unlocked until the mod is disabled and the game is reverted to its original state.
4. Is there a mod that allows achievements? Yes, some games have mods, like the Achievement Enabler mod, that can re-enable Steam achievement tracking even when mods are active.

Game-Specific Questions

5. Do mods disable Steam achievements in Factorio? Yes, a separate instance of achievements is used when mods are installed, and earned achievements will not register with Steam.
6. Can you get banned on Steam for using achievement manager? No, Steam does not ban users for using achievement managers, but game developers may issue bans for cheating achievements.
7. Does modding games disable achievements? It depends on the game; some games disable achievements when mods are used, while others do not.

Steam and Achievements

8. Does Steam allow modding? Yes, Steam supports modding and makes it easy to find and install mods for games that support modding.
9. What happens if you complete all achievements in a Steam game? There is no direct reward from Steam, but completing achievements can provide a sense of accomplishment and personalize your Steam profile.
10. Does steam refund remove achievements? No, playtime and achievements are not removed from your Steam Community Profile if you refund a game.

Modding and Game Progress

11. Does permanently removing a game from Steam remove achievements? No, achievements and playtime are not removed from your profile when a game is permanently removed from your Steam account.
12. Can you mod Skyrim and still get achievements on Steam? Yes, with certain mods like SSE Engine Fixes, achievements can be earned even when mods are active.
13. Can you mod Skyrim if you buy it on Steam? Yes, you can mod Skyrim purchased on Steam by installing the Creation Kit from the Tools section of your Steam Library.

Achievements and Game Settings

14. Does turning off friendly fire disable achievements? Yes, changing game settings, such as turning off friendly fire, can disable achievements if it alters the game’s difficulty or mode.
15. Do all Skyrim mods disable achievements? No, not all mods disable achievements; some mods, like those using SSE Engine Fixes, allow achievements to be earned while the mod is active.