Alright, let’s talk about getting Skyrim modded up in 2024. It’s something I spent a good chunk of time figuring out recently because, let’s be honest, the whole version situation got messy for a while.
My Starting Point: Confusion
So, I got the itch to dive back into Skyrim. Heavily modded, of course. That’s the only way to play, right? But booting things up, I immediately hit the wall: Which version do I even install? You hear about Special Edition (SE), Anniversary Edition (AE), Steam versions, GOG versions… it felt like homework just figuring out where to begin.
Digging In: SE vs AE
First thing I tackled was the big one: Special Edition versus Anniversary Edition. I remembered when AE first launched (late 2021, I think?). It was basically SE bundled with all that Creation Club content. Sounded okay, but the real issue was that Bethesda updated the game’s core code (specifically, the compiler). This broke SKSE (Skyrim Script Extender), which basically breaks 90% of the mods worth using.
For a long time, the safe bet was sticking with SE, specifically version 1.5.97. It was stable, SKSE worked, and nearly every mod under the sun was built for it. A lot of folks locked their game to this version and never looked back.
But that was then. I needed to know the deal for now, 2024.
Checking the Modding Scene Today
I spent a few evenings just browsing Nexus Mods, reading forums, checking what the big mod authors were doing. Here’s what I found:
- SKSE is Updated: The amazing folks behind SKSE have kept pace. There are working versions for the latest AE builds (like 1.6.640, and even the newer 1.6.1130+ ones).
- Most Mods Follow SKSE: Since SKSE is the backbone, most major mods that rely on it (which is a LOT of them) have also been updated for the newer AE versions.
- New Mods Target AE: Increasingly, brand new mods or significant updates are being developed first for the latest AE version. Makes sense, it’s the current official version.
- The “Downgrade Patcher”: A popular trick emerged. You could buy AE (getting all the Creation Club files), but then use a tool to downgrade the main game executable (.exe file) back to an older version, like SE 1.5.97 or the very stable AE 1.6.640. This let you use older, non-updated SKSE mods while still having the AE content files if you wanted them. It felt a bit like cheating the system, but it worked for many.
Platform Matters: Steam vs GOG
Then there’s the platform. I originally had Skyrim SE on Steam. The big downside? Forced updates. Bethesda pushes a tiny update, maybe just for the Creation Club menu or something, and bam! Your SKSE is broken again until the SKSE team updates it. This can happen out of the blue and wreck your stable load order. Super frustrating.
I looked into the GOG version. The big plus? No forced updates. You download the installer, you install the version you want, and it stays that way until you decide to download and install a newer version. For modding stability, this is huge.
My Testing and Decision Process
Okay, theory is one thing, practice is another. I decided to experiment.
I already owned AE on Steam (it was an upgrade from SE). First, I tried the latest AE version (1.6.1170 at the time, I think). I installed SKSE for it, grabbed some core mods updated for it. It mostly worked! Getting the right versions of things took a bit of careful reading on Nexus, but it was doable.
Then I tried the downgrade patcher. Rolled back my Steam AE install to 1.6.640. This also worked well, and this version has been around long enough that almost everything supports it. Felt very stable.
I briefly considered trying to stick purely with 1.5.97 SE, but honestly, seeing so many cool new mods and updates targeting AE versions made me hesitant. It felt like swimming against the current.
So, What Did I Settle On?
After all that messing around, here’s what I landed on for my “definitive” 2024 modded playthrough:
I stuck with the latest Steam Anniversary Edition (AE).
Yeah, I know, the forced updates are a risk. But here’s my reasoning:
- Easier Mod Hunting: Most active mod development targets the latest AE version. It just simplified things finding compatible mods. Less checking version numbers, less patching required sometimes.
- SKSE Speed: The SKSE team is incredibly fast now. When Bethesda does push an update, a compatible SKSE version usually follows within a day or two, sometimes even hours.
- Included Content: Honestly, some of the Creation Club stuff included in AE isn’t bad. Fishing, some armor packs, new homes… it adds a bit without me needing to hunt down separate mods for everything.
- Managing Updates: I learned to mitigate the Steam update issue. I set Skyrim in Steam to “Only update when I launch it”. Then, critically, I always launch the game through my mod manager (Mod Organizer 2) using the SKSE launcher. This way, Steam doesn’t see me “launching” the base game, and it usually doesn’t force the update immediately. It gives me time to check if SKSE needs an update first.
If I was buying Skyrim today specifically for modding and wanted maximum stability? I’d probably grab the GOG Anniversary Edition. No forced updates means true peace of mind. But since I already had it on Steam, working with the latest version felt like the path of least resistance for accessing the newest mods in 2024.
So, that’s my journey. For me, AE (latest version, even on Steam with careful handling) is the practical choice right now. But the GOG version or using the downgrade patcher are totally valid paths if update stability is your absolute top priority.
