SteamDB now has a new owner after 13 years. Chosen, the parent company of Nexus Mods, has acquired the service, while founder Pavel “xPaw” Djundik remains involved in the handoff. Djundik said in SteamDB’s announcement that he had been looking for someone to take over since January because maintaining the project had become too much for one person. Nexus Mods also explained in its announcement that it is working with xPaw to provide SteamDB with the team and resources it needs while the service continues operating as normal for now.
SteamDB Joins Nexus Mods
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A larger team will now handle SteamDB’s development and infrastructure, with Djundik assisting during the transition. The site will keep its current name and website, while the browser extension, Discord, and Steam group will continue as SteamDB community spaces.
Free access is staying in place. Everything that is currently available at no cost will remain free, and the SteamDB browser extension will continue to be maintained. SteamDB and Nexus Mods will also remain completely separate services, so browsing SteamDB will not require a Nexus Mods account.
SteamDB’s data could help mod managers track compatibility
Chosen is interested in SteamDB’s records of game builds, depots, manifests, and version history. Those records could give mod managers better ways to identify compatibility problems after a game update, a practical use for the acquisition beyond simply changing who runs the database.
Future tools could warn users when a mod was created for a different game version or when an incoming patch may break it. No specific tool or release date has been announced, so the idea remains a potential direction rather than a feature users can access today.
Why SteamDB users are concerned
Early reaction has focused on whether SteamDB could eventually add subscriptions, restrict data, or require accounts for features that are currently open. Price history and player-count information are particular points of concern, with some users worried that either could someday sit behind a premium tier.
Independence is another concern. SteamDB has spent years publishing player counts, update histories, and other Steam data even when those numbers may be uncomfortable for publishers. Some users now question whether that approach will remain unchanged under the owner of a large commercial mod platform.
Chosen’s ownership of Nexus Mods is part of the reason those worries have followed the deal. Robin “Dark0ne” Scott stepped back from Nexus Mods in 2025, making Chosen the company’s owner and ultimate decision-maker. In its ownership statement, Chosen said mods would remain free, free accounts would not lose features, and it had no plans for aggressive monetization or paid mods. Nexus Mods already has premium memberships and some limits on free-user conveniences, however, so those commitments provide context rather than a specific promise about every future SteamDB feature.
For now, the clearest commitments are that SteamDB will remain a separate service, its existing free features will stay available, and Nexus Mods accounts will not be required. Existing users can continue browsing the site and using its current community spaces without an account change while the larger team takes over.
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