It seems that now even some mods start to include DRM, for example a mod for Nier Automata. See article here . The mod checks whether the Steam Api is valid. The probable downside is thay if there ever will be a DRM free Nier Automata, the mod won't work with it.

This has been a thing for a while. Back when Terraria first came out on GOG, there were some people complaining about how some of the mods only worked with the Steam version (because that was the only legit PC version for so long).

(Some modders do later retool their mods if a different version of the game -- such as a DRM-free build -- gets released.)

From what I've read the creator implemented this check due to the following:

If there ever will be a DRM free Nier Automate you would need to make a DRM free mod along with it. Should not be more difficult but of course would be much more effort.

Maybe a fake Steam API that says, everything is okay here, would be a way out. Hmm. If someone else "injected" copyrighted material, then someone else is responsible for it. The legal damage for him should be zero. Of course he may want to prevent others from modding with his mod (for whatever reasons), but the simplest thing would just be "make sure your so popular people find your mod only on your site with the content that you chose to be in the mod). I always wondered for all the mods offered over the Steam GamesWorkshop. Are they also archivable and working together with non-Steam versions of the game or are they tied to the Steam DRM (via the main game or by themselves) anyway?

It's not really something new... even back in the days there were mods/fan made patches that used to check if you had a legitimate copy of the game one way or the other, by asking for the original disk or stuff like that.

Checking the Steam API is just a more up-to-date way of doing this

You mean like the cracked Steam dlls that have been around since the release of Half-Life 2?

I am not surprised. Steam workshop was already the first, entry level, DRM mechanism so its only due process that this moves in. Even on sites like Moddb you start to see Steam Workshop only mods creeping in. Shame because the modding community has been great over the years, I mean games like Elder Scrolls, M&B all got so popular because of the modding community, that will all soon go. Devolve into a mass of IP laws and DRM.

Little bit off, but why do we need a mod to fix these resolution and fps problems?
Devs should fix their crappy port.

Edit: typo

You answer your own question in the next sentence. They should, but as long as there are modders and customers paying, they don't really need to. Truth is, we need competent devs or active modders but not necessarily both although that would be okay too.

As far as I`m concerned modders are going way over what they need to do when they start putting DRMs into their mods. I mean seriously? Way too `my precious`. Just one reason why i avoid Steam as much as possible.

No, thats for the "enhanced" version 15 years down the line :o)

Just look at Dark Souls graphics are eye wrenchingly bad without a few mods.

I'm not the best person to ask: I don't have a Steam account, and I almost never mod games anyway. :P

Yea this isn't the first I've seen of this unfortunately, I first encountered it in Terraria mods after years of using mods from nexus and stuff... just another thing we can blame Steam/Valve for since users think if you don't buy on Steam you are a pirate.

Sometimes I really hate how popular Steam is....

Correct if i am wrong! Civilization 5 and Europa Universalis IV mods needs Steam workshop to install and work correctly in game.