Modifying game files legal or illegal?

[WHOLF ⚡]

Lets say, I want to change my graphics/quality/fov and others to have a better gameplay experience. Is modifying the files allowed or not?

There are games who allow it to have a 'better' experience while playing a game 'smoother'.

Though, I did see this from PUBG that it's now a bannable offence:
https://www.eurogamer.net/editing-files-in-playerunknowns-battlegrounds-is-now-a-bannable-offence

I also saw certain sentences here in the EULA from Steam:
https://store.steampowered.com/eula/eula_113400

"- 15.2.1 Reloaded shall be entitled to monitor for the use of unauthorized third party software and the introduction of any unauthorized modifications or files to any part of the Game;"

Now, after doing a bit of research.. I couldn't find the exact answer to this and I was hoping someone else could give it to me.

[Cathulhu]

Depends entirely on the game. Most games don't care, some do.

[nullable]

Well.... it depends. I mean the settings you configure in most games options are stored somewhere. Manually editing those files is generally fine as you're not doing anything that can't be done through the UI. Maybe there's some advanced graphics tweaks possible with manual, but it shouldn't matter. And that's probably not what they're looking for when talking about modifying games files.

However if you're modifying game files, like say changing models to make other players more visible which gives you an unfair advantage that would be bannable for obvious reasons.

And the general rule of thumb for competitive multiplayer games is you can't mod/change/edit things to do whatever you want like you can single player games, for obvious reasons.

it's not illegal per se, but it is against the rules of the game. Rules and Laws are two different things. Cheating in monopoly isn't a crime, but people may exclude you from future games for obvious reasons.

[✨Saint✨]

If you are able to modify your game in such a way to create a major advantage, chances are you will run in some trouble.

[ZeroSorrow™]

mods are not bannable in most cases

[HikariLight]

In CSGO altering your graphics outside the given methods in-game can lead to a ban. It simply depends on the type of game. Competitive games will ban you for unapproved alterations as they can give you an unfair advantage.

[NeutralPsychonics]

It's always illegal, for ANY game. Sometimes developers just don't care or there's no reason to ban (e.g.: offline games), but when you buy a game there has a license that assure all the rights on files you are receiving are to the publisher or developer, so speaking in terms of law it's always illegal and if the holders want to complain about it they can, it's their guaranteed right.

There are some cases that don't follow this rule, as open source games, but this is a rare exception. If you want to be sure you can read the raw license, it's available on store page or in game. Usually when they care about it will be clearly visible and easy to find, some will even force you to read and accept the terms, so you don't complain later.

About PUBG, you must read PUBG license, not Steam license. it's very clear in the license text:

You agree to only use the Game Software, or any part of it, in a manner that is consistent with this License and you SHALL NOT:
[...]
(f) reverse engineer, derive source code, modify, decompile, disassemble, or create derivative works of the Game Software, in whole or in part (except as the applicable law expressly permits, in which case all and any lawful modifications, adaptations, improvements, etc., and all copyrights and morale rights therein, shall be deemed assigned to, and shall belong to, vest in and be the exclusive property of KRAFTON and/or its licensors on creation, in any event);

So yes, they can ban you. I alsa saw this is a competitive and online game, so they will ban you probably

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by ɭᵃʳᵃ ጦᵒᶯˢʈᵉʳ:

It's always illegal, for ANY game.

False, many games are perfectly fine with you creating mods, modifying the files, etc. How do you think game mods are created?

It all depends on the game, context, and the individual games rules.

[NeutralPsychonics]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Originally posted by ɭᵃʳᵃ ጦᵒᶯˢʈᵉʳ:

It's always illegal, for ANY game.

False, many games are perfectly fine with you creating mods, modifying the files, etc. How do you think game mods are created?

It all depends on the game, context, and the individual games rules.

Read the entire text, not just the first five words

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by ɭᵃʳᵃ ጦᵒᶯˢʈᵉʳ:

Originally posted by brian9824:

False, many games are perfectly fine with you creating mods, modifying the files, etc. How do you think game mods are created?

It all depends on the game, context, and the individual games rules.

Read the entired text, not just the first line

Again false, you stated its ALWAYS illegal, its not. It doesn't matter how you try to spin it, its NOT "ALWAYS ILLEGAL".

MANY games allow it, far more then just open source games.

Originally posted by ɭᵃʳᵃ ጦᵒᶯˢʈᵉʳ:

so speaking in terms of law it's always illegal
.

That is complete BS as basically every game with steam workshop support allows you to modify game files. Heck games without steam workshop support such as 7 days to die even ENCOURAGE modders to modify their files.

[nullable]

Originally posted by ɭᵃʳᵃ ጦᵒᶯˢʈᵉʳ:

Originally posted by brian9824:

False, many games are perfectly fine with you creating mods, modifying the files, etc. How do you think game mods are created?

It all depends on the game, context, and the individual games rules.

Read the entire text, not just the first five words

I did. The way you're reading and interpreting the EULA and apparently differentiating editing and modding without defining what you think the differences are makes the quality of your claims quite poor.

I think your post falls under, "The best way to lose an argument is to overstate it", and I think you made some gross overstatements. At any rate watch out for always and never statements, they're often problematic.

[NeutralPsychonics]

Originally posted by brian9824:

Again false, you stated its ALWAYS illegal, its not. It doesn't matter how you try to spin it, its NOT "ALWAYS ILLEGAL".

MANY games allow it, far more then just open source games.

[...]

That is complete BS as basically every game with steam workshop support allows you to modify game files. Heck games without steam workshop support such as 7 days to die even ENCOURAGE modders to modify their files.

Okay nice guy, be calm and hear me. It's always ilegal. As I said before, sometimes they don't care, but it still illegal in terms of laws and they can at any time take down the modifications. allowing modification is a "being nice" thing, it doesn't change what is legal or ilegal.

Let's take the 7 days to die license ( https://store.steampowered.com/eula/251570_eula_0):

LICENSE CONDITIONS.
You agree not to:
[...]
Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, prepare derivative works based on or otherwise modify the Software, in whole or in part;

See? did you get it nice guy?

[nullable]

Originally posted by ɭᵃʳᵃ ጦᵒᶯˢʈᵉʳ:

Originally posted by brian9824:

Again false, you stated its ALWAYS illegal, its not. It doesn't matter how you try to spin it, its NOT "ALWAYS ILLEGAL".

MANY games allow it, far more then just open source games.

[...]

That is complete BS as basically every game with steam workshop support allows you to modify game files. Heck games without steam workshop support such as 7 days to die even ENCOURAGE modders to modify their files.

Okay nice guy, be calm and hear me. It's always ilegal. As I said before, sometimes they don't care, but it still illegal in terms of laws and they can at any time take down the modifications. allowing modification is a "being nice" thing, it doesn't change what is legal or ilegal.

Let's take the 7 days to die license ( https://store.steampowered.com/eula/251570_eula_0):

LICENSE CONDITIONS.
You agree not to:
[...]
Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, prepare derivative works based on or otherwise modify the Software, in whole or in part;

See? did you get it nice guy?

Well to be clear the terms in a EULA may not be backed by any laws. So it kinda seems like your other issue is you don't know what the word illegal means really.

[Brian9824]

Originally posted by ɭᵃʳᵃ ጦᵒᶯˢʈᵉʳ:

Okay nice guy, be calm and hear me. It's always ilegal. As I said before, sometimes they don't care, but it still illegal in terms of laws and they can at any time take down the modifications. allowing modification is a "being nice" thing, it doesn't change what is legal or ilegal.

Let's take the 7 days to die license ( https://store.steampowered.com/eula/251570_eula_0):

LICENSE CONDITIONS.
You agree not to:
[...]
Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, prepare derivative works based on or otherwise modify the Software, in whole or in part;

See? did you get it nice guy?

You are aware you can modify files without reverse engineering, disassembling, or decompiling them right?

I'm guessing you weren't..... Its also clear your not familiar with the game at all because they work quite closely with modders who routinely modify game files and even give them early access to the builds so they can update their mods before release which all modify the game files.....

Originally posted by Snakub Plissken:

Well to be clear the terms in a EULA may not be backed by any laws. So it kinda seems like your other issue is you don't know what the word illegal means really.

In that case its ignorance on his part as you can modify all the files without having to Reverse engineer, decompile, disassemble, them. Most of the files are straight XML which you can edit with notepad....

Same thing for Skyrim and other games, your free to modify the files, that doesn't involve having to do any of what he quoted.

[J4MESOX4D]

Originally posted by SLS WHOLF:

Lets say, I want to change my graphics/quality/fov and others to have a better gameplay experience. Is modifying the files allowed or not?

Config edits are typically fine for virtually all games. External mods is the only grey area whereby players modify the game with 3rd party tools for aspects they cannot do by the text file or in-game.

I strongly advise against any 3rd party mods when it comes to multiplayer games with an anti-cheat as this can burn users - many have been banned in old COD games for simple FOV fixes or 'offline' modding. If you can't edit something in-game or by the text config then it's best to leave it.