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Let’s imagine a scenario in which Player A and B cross paths in-game. On Player B’s screen, Player A appears with their brand-new title and Ultimate weapon─the same weapon that they appear to themselves as having equipped. Conversely, on Player A’s screen, Player A appears with their title and hard-won weapon, while Player B appears in their default gear.
In other words, Player A sees the rewards each player has earned fairly within the context of the game’s rules. Player B sees a modified version of the game, but these changes are visible only to Player B themselves, and thus fall within the realm of individual enjoyment. (Please note that this is not intended as a judgment on the virtue of one approach versus the other.)
Similarly, if a player chooses to install a mod, the risk of encountering a computer virus, for example, is borne by the individual. Additionally, mods that do not adversely affect other players, and which ensure visual changes are only visible to the individual user, can be said to narrowly maintain the integrity of the game’s design─although, of course, this is open to interpretation.
However, if a mod was updated and its changes became visible not just to the individual mod user, but to other players too, what would the implications be? Player A (with their title and gear earned from hours of concerted effort with their friends) and Player B (with their mod-derived gear), are now on a level playing field, so to speak. This development may not concern Player B, but for Player A, it considerably negates the cooperation, time, and effort invested, not to mention the pride they might have felt in their achievement. After all, their rewards are now available to anyone with the mod installed, albeit lacking the corresponding in-game attributes.
In this example, other players have been infringed upon, and the intended design of the game has been negatively impacted. Although Player B may have been unaware of the mod’s precise functionality, their usage has diminished other players’ motivation and circumvented the game’s systems. Even if the creator of the mod simply intended for players to readily access and enjoy their favorite gear, they have detrimentally affected both the game and the wider player community.