Starfield modding is already in full swing, and it doesn’t matter if you own the game through Steam or Game Pass: you can still mod it into the sun. Though the game is receiving semi-regular updates that can break your mods, where you play on PC doesn’t matter. The biggest hurdles you’ll need to clear are (sometimes) inevitable mod conflicts and knowing where your version of Starfield is installed so you know where to direct your mod manager or place the loose mod files. In this guide, I’ll cover how you can mod Starfield on Xbox Game Pass.
Modding Starfield on Xbox Game Pass
Starfield modding takes two “forms” — modding via a mod manager like Nexus’ Vortex or the standalone Mod Organizer 2. Vortex is technically easier to set up, but MO2 is also fairly straightforward. The short version of both entails downloading Vortex or MO2 from the Nexus Mods site, installing them, and then pointing them toward your Starfield installation.
Installing Starfield Mods via a Mod Manager on Game Pass
As a Game Pass user, your Starfield files are stored in C:/Xbox Games/Starfield by default. If you wish, you can move the install folder by clicking on the three-dot icon near the Play button on the Starfield page. Click Manage, select the Files tab, and then click Change Drive. At that point, you can choose any other applicable drives to install the files there.
Once you have either Vortex or MO2 installed, modding is usually as simple as going to the mod’s page on the Nexus, selecting the Files tab, and clicking Mod Manager Download. This is probably more than enough for simple mods, as Vortex will automatically download the file and enable the mod. Your browser might ask if you want Vortex to open mod files with the program. Simply say yes. To make Mod Organizer 2 your default mod program, go into the settings, log into your Nexus account, and redirect mod files to MO2.
Installing Starfield Mods Manually on Game Pass
The catch with a lot of the more complicated Starfield mods is they have specific installation requirements or rely on one or more other mods to function properly. In that case, you’ll need to select Manual Download from the Files tab and then follow the mod author’s directions in the Description tab. You must follow the mod author’s directions to the letter, and if they warn that their mod isn’t compatible with another one you have or plan to install, you’ll have to choose which one you want more.
A reminder: if you manually install a Starfield mod and an update breaks it, you’ll also need to do the manual install for the updated version. Sometimes, that requires you to find every file for the mod and remove them yourself. If you have dozens or even hundreds of mods installed, that process could take a while. But such is the price of community modifications, especially in Bethesda games like Starfield.
In short, modding Starfield on Xbox Game Pass is no different than the Steam version and is thus equally rewarding. It can be frustrating to troubleshoot, but the community of these games always makes some of the best stuff. When official mod support arrives sometime in 2024, things will only get better. For more on Starfield and its content, check out our guides on the 10 best ships to buy, how to get the Hunter’s weapon and armor, and more in our guides hub for the game.
