In a move that feels like stepping backwards through a time portal, Nexus Mods just announced they're killing their multiplatform Nexus Mods App to focus exclusively on Vortex—their Windows-only mod manager.

Their reasoning? "We were competing with ourselves instead of solving the actual problems," according to PC Gamer.

Let me translate that corporate-speak: We don't want to support Linux or Steam Deck users anymore.

This is a spectacularly bad decision, and the timing couldn't be worse. The Steam Deck has sold millions of units. Linux gaming is more viable than it's ever been, thanks to Proton. Modders on these platforms finally had a native solution in the Nexus Mods App, and now Nexus is yanking it away to consolidate on a legacy Windows app that—let's be honest—most power users don't even prefer.

Vortex has always been divisive. It's fine for casual modding, but anyone doing serious load order management or complex mod setups tends to gravitate toward Mod Organizer 2 anyway. So Nexus isn't just abandoning Linux users—they're also betting the farm on a tool that isn't even the community favorite.

The Steam Deck community is rightfully furious. Modding Skyrim, Fallout, and Baldur's Gate 3 on the Deck was one of its killer features. Now those users are stuck manually installing mods or using workarounds like running Vortex through Wine—which defeats the entire purpose of having a native solution.

Here's the thing: when a company says they're "focusing their efforts," what they actually mean is "we're cutting costs." Supporting multiple platforms is hard. But you know what's harder? Winning back trust after you abandon a growing segment of your user base.

Nexus Mods built their empire on community goodwill. Moves like this erode that foundation. The modding scene will adapt—it always does—but don't be surprised when alternative mod hosting platforms start gaining traction.

Verdict: Going backwards on platform support in 2026 is a choice. Not a good one.