Are Creation Club mods free in the Skyrim Anniversary Edition?
No, Creation Club mods are not free in the Anniversary Edition. While the upgrade does include some Creation Club content at no additional cost, most Creation Club mods and additions still need to be purchased separately.
Specifically, the Anniversary Edition bundles the following 4 Creation Club items for free:
- Fishing
- Rare Curios
- Survival Mode
- Saints & Seducers
These were previously only available through the Creation Club marketplace for 100-400 Credits each. So bundling them into the Anniversary Edition is a nice perk, but the vast majority of Creation Club content still requires purchase.
Breaking Down the Creation Club Marketplace
The Creation Club serves as an official marketplace for new Skyrim mods, weapons, quests, and more. Creators submit new content ideas to Bethesda, which then gets approved, polished, and made available for purchase.
As of 2023, there are over 75 Creation Club mods spanning weapons, armor, houses, quests, gameplay tweaks, followers, and more. Prices typically range from 100 Credits up to 400:
| Number of Mods | Price in Credits | Real Cash Price |
|---|---|---|
| 34 | 100 | $1.99 |
| 28 | 150 | $2.99 |
| 11 | 250 – 400 | $4.99 – $7.99 |
Assuming the average Creation Club mod runs around 250 Credits, purchasing them all individually would cost around 18,750 Credits, equivalent to $375!
The Anniversary Edition bundles all 75+ mods for only $20. So massive savings, but still an additional fee.
Creation Club Provides Quality, Official Content
As a passionate Skyrim player myself, I think the Creation Club marketplace offers some outstanding quality content.
The mods go through an extensive approval and development process to ensure they seamlessly integrate into the game. You won‘t find any buggy, incompatible mods like those on NexusMods or other sites.
I particularly enjoy mods like Rare Curios, which adds a whopping 150+ new spells and scrolls to the game. Talk about magnifying those mage build options!
There‘s also mods that let you build epic custom homes, like Myrwatch, and go on unique quests like The Cause.
So while pricier than traditional mods, the Creation Club really delivers on polish and reliability.
What OTHER Mods are Included with Anniversary?
The Creation Club hub is clearly a focal point of what sets Anniversary Edition apart. But the upgrade also includes several free creations as mentioned initially, along with:
- Over 500+ pieces of unique gear, armor, and weapons
- New quests across Falkreath, the Sea of Ghosts, and Solstheim
- Fishing mechanic with over 20 unique fish types to catch
- New enemies like mud crabs, goblins, and nix hounds
- New character creation options for hair colors and skin tones
So in closing – no, those hoping for totally free Creation Club mods in Anniversary Edition may be disappointed. But between some bundled goodies, hundreds of integrated original mods, and the biggest overall mod bundle discount ever…as a fan I still happily paid up and consider it more than worthwhile!
Hopefully this deep-dive helped provide some clarity around what is – and isn‘t – included as far as Creation Club content goes.
