- Primary Subject: 10 Popular Games That Started as Community Mods
- Key Update: The article highlights how iconic titles like Dota 2, Counter-Strike, and PUBG evolved from fan-made mods into massive standalone successes.
- Status: Confirmed
- Last Verified: January 21, 2026
- Quick Answer: Many famous games, including Counter-Strike, Dota 2, and PUBG, originated as community-created mods for titles like Half-Life, Warcraft III, and ARMA 2 before becoming standalone hits.
Modding games is a serious gamer's way to convey their enthusiasm for a title. And sometimes, these mods turn out so well that they become full-fledged video games. But did you know that some of your favorites were once just regular mods?
Game mods work to improve game textures, add new wacky features, and integrate different aspects that make an already-existing game more immersive. And out of a million mods, a few get their deserved recognition and go on to create waves within the gaming circles as complete projects with new titles, features, and more.
So, below we'll check out 10 of the most popular games that were once mods created by the community as a way to make an already-existing game more enjoyable.
10. Dota 2
As one of the most-played Steam games, Dota 2 began as a map modded for Warcraft II. Currently, Dota is a long-standing game in the history of esports. Dota took up the mod and tweaked the RTS formula, reducing the number of player-controlled characters and sprites to one. These characters fight mobs to level up before going against opponent player-controlled characters to invade their bases.
Dota Allstars came next, whose two main modders separated, with one joining Valve to work on Dota 2, and the other, Riot Games, to curate League of Legends (LoL).
9. The Stanley Parable
The Stanley Parable is a must-play game if you are a fan of fantasy and choice-based, story-driven games. It is not only one of the best gaming experiences to date, but it was also originally created as a mod for Half-Life 2.
From fantastic storytelling to a helpful narrator, The Stanley Parable has it all. This narrator offers great suggestions and curates an immersive gameplay experience, with a variety of endings.
8. PUBG: Battlegrounds
The battle royale genre took a whole new turn thanks to PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds (PUBG). However, not many people are aware of the game's origin. Modder 'PlayerUnknown' altered an ARMA 2 mod into DayZ: Battle Royale and initiated the hyped PlayerUnknown's Battlegrounds.
7. The Forgotten City
What started as a Skyrim mod is now one of the most popular role-playing games to date. The Forgotten City mod earned a national award for exceptional writing and even exceeded 3 million downloads.
The reworked story offers a rich roguelike role-playing aspect, which surrounds ancient Roman civilisation. Here, if one of the 24 people (including you) attacks others or steals (considered biblical sins), then everyone will be turned into gold. You can also return to the start of the day with all your collected items before being turned into a statue.
6. Killing Floor
Killing Floor was once just a zombie shooter mod made for the Unreal Tournament 2004. Here, your quest is to take down as many zombie-like creatures (ZEDs) as possible.
The weapons are fun, and you can use any you get your hands on. You will meet reinforcements, waves of enemies, and bosses to ward off as you go.
5. DayZ
DayZ started as a humble mod for ARMA 2, where your in-game character was thrown into a zombie-plagued world. Now, while there have not been many gameplay add-ons to the actual game, DayZ is still a well-regarded zombie-survival game today.
4. Insurgency
Insurgency is one of many games created using Valve's Source engine, which allowed modders to create their masterpieces. It began as a mod for Half-Life 2, with adventurous, chaotic, and perfect military simulation.
Unlike other shooter games, Insurgency doesn't come with aiming support or HUDs to help out, making it more hardcore than the rest. And given its changeover from other multiplayer titles, this mod became one of the most sought-after games, with the Insurgency: Sandstorm sequel.
3. Dear Esther
Dear Esther has earned its name by making the "walking simulators" style more mainstream, all while being a mod for Half-Life 2. You start off on the Hebridean island, which is abandoned at first. As you walk around this beautiful inhabited island, the story progresses with gripping narration and visuals.
And as the story unfolds further, you discover how the narrator's wife, Esther, passed away, leading him to search for meaning. The full game is worth a try, especially for its fantastic lore and graphics.
2. Counter-Strike
Half-Life mods have always been popular, especially when one turned out to be Counter-Strike, one of the most well-known FPS games to date. This is one of the best Half-Life mods to have a full game release, making it one of the prominent esports titles.
Due to its exceptional gameplay, Valve hired the developers to create Counter-Strike as we know it today.
1. Garry's Mod
Finally, we come to Garry's Mod, unarguably one of the best mods known to players. The game has no objectives, tasks, missions, or any competitive quests. You start off in a sandbox where you can practically do whatever you like, in your own personal universe. And while it began as a regular mod in 2004, based on Half-Life 2, Garry's Mod's full release took place in 2006.
This concludes our list of the 10 best games that were once mods. Their popularity comes from their high demand among players, as well as their unparalleled playtime.
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