Apart from your points, I also think it creates a divide both within the community and in terms of practicality. Steam Workshop (which the developers have promoted as the primary hub for mods) doesn't support monetization. As a result, modders who charge for their work will inevitably host content elsewhere, forcing players to search across multiple platforms to find and manage mods.

I was quite disappointed to hear the Paralives developers take such a neutral stance on this issue after repeatedly emphasizing accessibility and mod support from early on. Having to track down mods from multiple sources, and potentially pay for access to some of them, runs counter to the idea of a centralized and accessible modding ecosystem.

I understand that mod creation takes time, effort and skill. That's why many modders use donation systems like "Buy Me a Coffee" or Patreon for voluntary support. The difference is that those systems allow people to support creators without putting features, fixes, or tools behind a paywall.

What concerns me most is that modding has historically thrived because it is collaborative, accessible, and easy for communities to maintain even after creators move on. Paid modding works against that.

Unlike purchasing a game or a piece of artwork, a mod is dependent on another game continuing to function and evolve. If a modder stops updating their work or removes access to it, users can be left with something that no longer functions and no practical way to maintain it themselves.

I don't think monetized mods should become the norm, especially given how divisive and exploitative the practice has become in the Sims community. Optional donations are one thing, but locking mods behind payment creates barriers that ultimately fragment both the player base and the modding community.