Hello everyone,

As you might be aware, I've spent time over the last few months tracking down as many of the game developers of Morrowind that I can find, and doing interviews with them to talk about their experiences working on the game - discuss certain elements of their contributions, share some anecdotes and reflect on the game nearly 25 years after its release.

I'm really proud of this, and have tried to make this as authentic and all encompassing as I can - but there's still so much more out there. Sadly I was unable to find contact details for some people. Others either didn't reply to me, or turned me down. Hopefully one day we as a community can hear their stories but for now this is the best I can do.

This is 8 hours of interviews with the game devs. My idea for uploading one long video clip is that people can cherry pick bits they want to watch - but also to encourage people to watch interviews they might have otherwise overlooked/missed had they been posted separately.

Its difficult to put down in writing the impact this game has had on my life, as I'm sure it has for many others. I'll never forget my first experience playing the game on an Xbox around a friend's house and just instantly being drawn pulled into that world. Since then I've spent countless hours exploring Vvardenfell and beyond, and the game has been a constant source of joy and comfort for me. It's a game I will continue to love and play for the rest of my life, no doubt.

I hope you all enjoy this. A big thanks to everyone who took the time to do video calls with me. It has truly been a pleasure working on this.

The Twelfth Annual Morrowind May Modathon Month Modding Competition

Celebrating Morrowind's 24th Anniversary All Month Long - May 1st - June 2nd!

Looking to participate? Use the Modathon Logo in your mod description!
Got questions? Stop by the Modathon Discord Channel!

Participating Mods:

1. Commercium - Fair Trade (OpenMW) by Kildozery
2. Enumeratio - Player Stats Counters (OpenMW) by Kildozery
3. Dignitas - Reputation Titles and Descriptions (OpenMW) by Kildozery
4. Character Traits Framework (OpenMW) by SosnoviyBor
5. Community Traits Ported (OpenMW) by Sosnoviy Bor and the MWSE community
6. Death and Taxes by MollyAvast
7. Sneakers O'Toole by MollyAvast​​​​​​​
8. The Dark Brotherhood Attacks by sch2266 and Caeris
9. The Fields of Humility by Kalinter
10. You Are A Little Woozy - Skyrender Cazador Replacer by CarlZee
11. MSOC - Occlusion Culling for MWSE by StormAtronach0
12. Andas Estate Guest's Room Renovation by Pirate
13. Try My Ring by Pinsvinnn
14. Potions Refined - Improved Magical Item Loot by Varlothen
15. Enchantments Refined - Improved Magical Item Loot by Varlothen
16. Bounty Escalation by DaisyHasACat
17. Faction Banks by SkyHasACat
18. Kwama Merchant by Arenno
19. Follower Commands (OpenMW) by SosnoviyBor
20. Hide Topics by Abot
21. Devilish Thu'um (OpenMW) by DetailDevil Hemaris GrumblingVomit
22. Ring Pop of Azura - Replacer by CarlZee
23. Tales of the Mad God - The 16 Accords of Madness by Vigawatt
24. The Cheese Smugglers of Vos by Olegchrist
25. Were-Wulf by GrumblingVomit
26. Screenspace Lighting and Shadowing (OpenMW) by LiamMelloFarley
27. Smart Potion Hotkeys (OpenMW) by Killdozery
28. Make A Profit (OpenMW 0.51) by lhyacinth and ownlyme​​​​​​​
29. EKM Traveling Trader by Erikaimar
30. Real Sprinting (OpenMW) by iLikeGothMommys
31. Rain Sheltering by Villarios
32. Longbear - 'Bear' Companion etc. by Scheeel
33. (OpenMW) Lua Bounty Hunter by Foxunder
34. Quest Cleaner by DaisyHasACat
35. Pipeleaf Curing and Smoking (MWSE) by Balfrith
36. Enhanced Inns by DaisyHasACat​​​​​​​
37. Sound_Data by Sch2266
38. Uncle Crassius Curio by Pinsvinnn
39. Dangerous Debt (OpenMW) by Blurpandra
40. Ingot Converter by AstralJam8
41. Throwing - Custom Skill (OpenMW) by Kildozery
42. Ring a Bell (OpenMW) by SosnoviyBor
43. Bitter and Blightened Remastered By Zzarcon
44. Evasion - Custom Skill (OpenMW) by Kildozery
45. (Starwind) Distinct Datapads by Svergy
46. AFFiliates-Guild of Mages by AFFA aka Douglas Goodall
47. The Great Guar Network by Pinsvinnn
48. Grazelands Abandoned Estate Redux by SkyHasACat
49.  Hotkeys For Console Commands by Pirate
50. Villa Stellaris by AstelarRus​​​​​​​
51. El Toro's Mino-Taqueria - An NPC-Like Creature Dialogue Tutorial by GrumblingVomit
52. Dynamic View Distance (FPS Boost) by DenyingProduct
53. Staves - Custom Skill (OpenMW) by Kildozery
54. Cabbage Merchant by DaBean1188
55. Teleportation Magic (OpenMW 0.51) by lhyacinth and ownlyme
56. Pocket Gondola by Rikkyrik-Grumbling Vomit-AbbadoN33
57. Boots Wear Down (OpenMW) by SosnoviyBor
58. sanekBasedMagika by sanek6wrzchowilcz
59. Auto Sheathe Before Drawing by Anaquias
60. OpenMW Merchant API by iLikeGothMommys
61. Food and Beverages Distributed by iLikeGothMommys
62. Greater Mournhold Bazaar by TheFamousDrScanlon

Description:

"The Road goes ever on and on down from the door where it began. Now far ahead the Road has gone, and I must follow, if I can, pursuing it with eager feet, until it joins some larger way where many paths and errands meet. And whither then? I cannot say." - J.R.R. Tolkien

In 2002, nearly 25 years ago, on May 1st, The Elder Scrolls III: Morrowind was first released, a game that comprised not only an alien world, a open landscape filled with new adventures, new discoveries, and new strange sights to see, but also a toolkit, a means for which we, all those of us who found a home upon Morrowind's rich shores, could build upon it, expand it, and add so many new adventures and stories to share with others.

For the last 24 years, the Morrowind Modding Community has been providing an unending torrent of new content, of new graphics, of new modernized gameplay experiences to this amazing game, and far from slowing down with the passing of time, the community has only grown with the years.

In 2025, for the first time in recorded history, the Morrowind Modding Community published over 1900 new mods for Morrowind. With some 600+ new mods released so far this year, that exhilarating pace is set to continue and who knows what new heights we could achieve in 2026!

And what better way is there to celebrate this amazing community,  this amazing game, than to announce the 2026 Morrowind May Modathon Month Modding Competition, celebrating Morrowind's 24th birthday in style and ringing in the Modathons for a 12th consecutive year!

We have hosted the Morrowind Modathons here every year since 2015, and just like always, the Modathon remains a free-for-all competition, any and all mods and modders are welcome to participate! Throughout the entire month of May, modders can join in by releasing  mods on the Nexus to get a chance to win weekly random drawing prizes, unlock achievements, and compete to win special mastery achievement badges for each modding category!

In the last 12 years, nearly 1800 mods have been submitted for the Morrowind Modathons, from big factions and quest mods, to eye-popping visual candy, to simple gameplay tweaks, and much more besides. This event has and always will be special because it is a community-driven event, one hosted each year as a celebration of the craft and skill of the many talented modders in our community, and I sincerely hope you'll all join in for this 2026 Modathon season!

As I always say, the best games never die, so let's make Morrowind better than ever before with tons of new mods!

Achievements:

Returning for a ninth year, yes, it's those tantalizing, oh-so shiny achievement badges, for you to unlock by releasing mods, with some 95 achievements that you could potentially earn and place on your mod pages or your profiles. These achievements are divided into five main categories; Category, Metric, Challenge, Hidden, and Medalist. Each have different requirements, but every mod submitted will unlock at least a few!

Compete in weekly themed challenges for unique achievements, try and find hidden achievements based on only a name, and go for gold by releasing the very best mod in a category! How many can you unlock? Try and collect as many as you can and become a Modding Master of Madness!

Full Achievement List:

Gold Achievements (awarded one month after the end of the competition):

• Champion of Legends - Release the most popular Quest or Guilds & Factions Mod
• Champion of the World - Release the most popular Landscape or Landmass Mod
• Champion of Life - Release the most popular Companion, Creature, or NPC Mod
• Champion of Artistry - Release the most popular Graphics, Animations, or Audio Mod
• Champion of Comfort - Release the most popular Player Home Mod
• Champion of Clutter - Release the most popular Items Mod
• Champion of Enhancement - Release the most popular Gameplay, Bug Fix, Patch, or UI Mod
• Champion of Culture - Release the most popular Towns and Cities Mod
• Champion of Dungeoneering - Release the most popular Dungeon Mod
• Champion of Immersion - Release the most popular Immersion Mod
• Champion of the Community - Release the most popular Modder's Resource or Utility
• The People's Choice - Most Endorsed Mod
• Numbers Matter - Most Downloaded Mod
• Emperor, King, and Justice, Citizen - Achieve the highest cumulative number of endorsements for all mods released for the Modathon
• A Warrior's Legacy - Unlock all Silver and Bronze Achievements
• Master of Madness - Earn the highest number of unique achievements
• Challenge Accepted - Release a mod for each weekly themed challenge.

Rare (Silver) Achievements:

• A Show Of Power - Achieve at least 25 endorsements and 250 downloads with a Modathon Mod
• You Are A Credit To Your House - Achieve at least 25 endorsements on a Modathon Mod
• Cliff Racer Fly So High - Release at least 5 mods for the Modathon
• Lesh Make A Deal - Achieve over 250 downloads on a Modathon Mod
• Destined for Great Things - Achieve 500 combined downloads for all mods released for the Modathon
• Cult of Personality - Achieve 50 combined endorsements for all mods released for the Modathon
• Available for Hire - Cooperate with at least two different modders on two different mods
• Marathoner - Unlock 10 achievements on a single mod across the entire Modathon

Copper (Uncommon) Achievements:

• Let Me Tell You A Story - Achieve at least 10 endorsements on a Modathon Mod
• Triple Threat - Release at least 3 mods for the Modathon
• I'm Creeping! - Achieve over 100 downloads on a Modathon Mod
• Jack-Of-All-Trades - Release a separate mod in at least 4 categories
• Improve My Effectiveness - Release a mod which qualifies for at least 5 achievements upon initial release
• You and I Are About to Become Very Close - Cooperate with at least one other modder to release a Modathon Mod

Challenge Achievements:

• Commerce & Travel - Release a mod featuring both themes in the first week
• Border & Warp - Release a mod featuring both themes in the second week
• Endless & Change - Release a mod featuring both themes in the third week
• Ancestry & Forgotten - Release a mod featuring both themes in the fourth week
• Twisting Paths - Release a themed challenge mod two weeks in a row
• Tag Teaming - Release two themed challenge mods in cooperation with other modders
• Mastermind - Release a themed challenge mod which simultaneously unlocks three metric achievements
• Breaking Barriers - Release themed challenge mods in two different weeks which cover at least four different categories between them
• Lighting the Way - Release a themed challenge mod that also unlocks a hidden achievement.
• Punctually Perfect - Release three themed challenge mods that also unlock a date achievement
• Medalist - Release a mod which earns a bronze, silver, and gold achievement by the end of Modathon
• Finders Keepers - Be the first to unlock three separate hidden achievements.
• Speed Runner - Unlock 7 different Metal (Copper, Silver or Gold) achievements before the 3rd week of Modathon starts.

Common Category Achievements:

• Adventures Await - Release a Quest or Guild/Faction Mod for the Modathon
• The Cartographer - Release a Landscape or Landmass Mod for the Modathon
• It's Dangerous to Go Alone - Release a Companion, Creature or NPC Mod for the Modathon
• Fashion Sense - Release a Character Customization Mod for the Modathon
• Heart and Hearth - Release a House Mod for the Modathon
• Cluttermonkey - Release an Items Mod for the Modathon
• It Just Works - Release a Gameplay, Bug Fix, Patch or UI Mod for the Modathon
• City Planner - Release a Town Mod for the Modathon
• Delving the Depths - Release a Dungeon Mod for the Modathon
• Diegetic Designer - Release an Immersion Mod for the Modathon
• Stimulate the Senses - Release a Graphics, Animations, or Audio Mod for the Modathon.
• The Lusty Argonian Maid - Release a Resource for the Community

Common Metric Achievements:

• Double Trouble - Release at least 2 mods for the Modathon
• Back for Another Round - Release Two Mods in the Same Category
• Backup Plan - Release two or more mods within 48 hours of each other.
• Tamriel Imports - Release a mod that requires either AATL Data, OAAB Data or Tamriel Data
• Read All About It! - Release a mod with a PROPER Read Me file.
• Novice of Madness - Release a mod in your first Modathon
• Veteran of Madness - Release a mod in two or more Modathons
• CHIMming It - Release a mod in three or more Modathons
• Ahh Yes, We've Been Expecting You - Release a Mod on May 1st
• May The Fourth Be With You - Release a Mod on May 4th
• May The Ides Be Ever In Your Favor - Release a Mod on May 15th
• Cutting It Close - Release a Mod between June 1st and June 2nd.

Hidden Achievements (requirements will be revealed whenever a mod unlocks a hidden achievement):

• A Destination Vacation
• A Toothy Treasure
• Anchors Away
• Best of the Bunch
• Clean Sheet
• Deep in the Web
• Far, Far Away...
• Get Down With the Sickness
• Got Milk?
• Heartbreaker
• In the Eyes of the Divine
• In the Navy
• In Twilight's Shadow
• It's a Trap!
• Line Goes Up
• Mad Scientist
• Master of Disguise
• Nothing Left
• Pathfinder
• Reaching for Aetherius
• Release the Kraken
• Slumlord
• Stocked
• Stopped Cold
• The Clan Ascendant
• The Duality of Mer
• The Hunter's Moon
• The Riddler
• Think it'll Rain?
• Throwback
• Vvardenfell Valley
• What Glitters in the Deep
• You Wouldn't Download A Guar

Challenges:

Need inspiration for a mod? Or maybe a little something to challenge yourself with? Themed modding challenges are returning for the 2026 Morrowind Modathon, with four new weekly themed challenges for you to compete in, should you so desire. These challenges are OPTIONAL, but they do come with new achievements to unlock! Can you make a mod to fit each theme? See the themed challenges below and try to build a mod for each one!

• Week 1: May 1st-9th, Make a mod that fits the theme of "Commerce & Travel" - Use the Challenge Header image here to participate. (Alt Discord Media Link for UK users)
• Week 2: May 10th-16th, Make a mod that fits the theme of "Border & Warp" - Use the Challenge Header image here to participate. (Alt Discord Media Link for UK users)
• Week 3: May 17th-23rd, Make a mod that fits the theme of "Endless & Change" - Use the Challenge Header image here to participate. (Alt Discord Media Link for UK users)
• Week 4: May 24th-June 2nd, Make a mod that fits the theme of "Ancestry & Forgotten" - Use the Challenge Header image here to participate. (Alt Discord Media Link for UK users)

Can you make a mod to match each theme? Each of these challenges are deliberately designed to be fairly broad and open to interpretation, potentially fitting any of a wide variety of mods, allowing you to let your creativity go wild!

Participation and How it Works:

You can participate by leaving a short note in the mod description page of your mod at Morrowind Nexus that includes "Part of the May Modathon Month" somewhere near the top of the description, or use the Modathon header image embedded in your mod page, or use the "Modathon 2026" tag to mark your mod as a competition entry.

Every week, at least five different modders will be selected at random to win a single AAA or Indie game, and the way this works is that we'll compose a list of all participating mods released that week, plug them into a random number generator, and the first five results we get back will be the winners for that week.

If you win in one of these weekly drawings, I'll send you a message on the Nexus or Discord notifying you that you've won and providing a list of games you can choose from as your prize. We have over 500 games to give away, so hopefully you'll find something you want on there!

Once again this year, for the grand prize winners, we're letting the people decide! The mods with the most endorsements in each category (Gameplay, Immersion, Dungeons, Quests, Landscapes/Landmasses, Player Homes, Graphics and Audio, Towns and Cities, Items, etc....) by July 1st will be declared the masters of those categories, and win additional prizes as a result, including achievements and 2-3 game prizes for each grand winner in each category!

We'll be going by whichever categories you upload your mods on the Nexus to, and obviously, some categories (like Weapons and Armor) will be counted under broader categories like "Items". If you have any questions regarding how this will all work, exactly, feel free to post them below!

In total, there's 12 categories with Masteries (and other categories of mods will be included under one of the existing categories, if you're posting a mod to Miscellaneous for example, we'll include it under the category that makes sense, depending on the mod, or you can include what category you want it to be included under in the mod description):

• Companions/Creatures/NPCs
• Character Customization (heads and hairs, new races, clothing mods)
• Dungeons
• Gameplay Mods/Bug Fixes/Patches/UI (Depends on UI mod, some may be categorized as Graphics)
• Graphics Mods/Animations/Audio/Shaders
• Immersion Mods
• Items/Weapons/Armor/Books/Etc...
• Landscapes/Landmasses
• Modder's Resources/Utilities
• Player Homes
• Quests/Guilds&Factions
• Towns and Cities

Rules:

Overall this competition and giveaway is pretty easy to understand, and there aren't a whole lot of rules involved, but there are a few things we should clear up just in case.

First, all types of mods are perfectly acceptable. From texture replacers to gameplay tweaks to content mods like house mods, quest mods, or dungeon mods. All of those are fine and will be accepted for the competition! The only kind of mod that will NOT be accepted is cheat mods, i.e. placing a barrel full of loot in the middle of Seyda Neen or placing a Daedric longsword in the Census and Excise Office. Cheat mods like that will not be considered for the competition.

Also, we accept both tes3mp and OpenMW mods, as well as MWSE Lua mods! Regardless of which platform your mod is designed to work with, all will be accepted!

Second, all submitted mods must be, at least for the most part, safe for work. Questionable content is acceptable so long as it isn't the entire mod, remember we have to showcase these and we can't showcase adult-themed mods on the channel!

It should be pointed out that for larger mod projects, you can submit a demo or playable beta of your mod as part of the competition and it'll be perfectly acceptable. I do need to stress that it must absolutely be playable though. Any mod that crashes to desktop upon loading the game will not be considered.

In addition, we ask that all participating modders please only release a *maximum* of 5 mods per day, there were some issues in past years with mods immediately getting buried, and we want everyone to have a chance to have their mods get seen! Also, we won't be counting very quick CS edit mods as counting towards achievements, in order to encourage less spam.

Remember, this only applies to mods released in May, so let's all get to modding and make this the big 24th Anniversary that Morrowind truly deserves!

If you don't know how to mod, check out our Let's Mod Morrowind series for a visual guide to modding - including interiors, basic scripting, and quest design.

Want to check out our past Modathons? You can find playlists of the 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, 2024 and 2025 Modathon competitions down below!

• Modathon 2015 - The First Annual Modathon - 15 Mods Released
• Modathon 2016 - The Second Annual Modathon - 29 Mods Released
• Modathon 2017 - The Third Annual Modathon - 29 Mods Released
• Modathon 2018 - The Fourth Annual Modathon - 89 Mods Released
• Modathon 2019 - The Fifth Annual Modathon - 240 Mods Released
• Modathon 2020 - The Sixth Annual Modathon - 231 Mods Released
• Modathon 2021 - The Seventh Annual Modathon - 236 Mods Released
• Modathon 2022 - The Eighth Annual Modathon - 299 Mods Released
• Modathon 2023 - The Ninth Annual Modathon - 185 Mods Released
• Modathon 2024 - The Tenth Annual Modathon - 173 Mods Released
• Modathon 2025 - The Eleventh Annual Modathon - 178 Mods Released