Moody, Kyle Andrew. Modders: Changing the game through user-generated content and online communities. The University of Iowa, 2014.

This research delves into the dynamics within the modding community for Skyrim on the Steam Workshop Channel, exploring the identity politics, tensions between innovation and control, and the effects of a digital media producer's attempt to regulate fan-made production. Conducted through ethnographic methods and textual analysis between September 2013 and January 2014, the study uncovers the hierarchized structure of modding communities based on historical involvement, technical knowledge, and interaction frequency. Results show a clear division between mod creators and users, with the Steam Workshop Channel highlighting conflicts between these groups. The findings emphasize the importance of acknowledging and respecting the historically situated nature of user communities by companies like Bethesda and Valve.