A New Challenge for Modders

TaleWorlds Entertainment, the developer behind Mount & Blade 2: Bannerlord, is launching a major initiative to boost content creation for its latest nautical expansion, War Sails. The studio has unveiled a modding competition with a total prize pool of €30,000, aiming to inspire the community to develop creative additions for the DLC.


Competition Categories and Prizes

The contest is split into three distinct categories, catering to different skill sets:

  • Conversion Mod Contest: This is the primary event, focusing on total or partial conversion mods that reimagine naval campaigns and ship combat. The prizes are substantial: €12,000 for first place, €6,000 for second, and €3,000 for third.
  • 3D Art Contest: Participants are tasked with creating new ship models for the expansion.
  • Scene Design Contest: Modders must design 'Seaborne Village Raid' scenarios, which involves placing navigation meshes, environment assets, and spawn points.

Winners in both the 3D art and scene design categories will receive €2,000, with €1,000 for second and €500 for third place. All entries must be submitted by November 22, and the official results are scheduled for release in January.


Context Behind the Competition

The initiative serves as a showcase for the recently released modding tools for War Sails. However, the move also addresses broader community sentiment. War Sails has faced a mixed reception on Steam, with many players citing bugs, technical hurdles, and integration difficulties as primary concerns.

Because the expansion required extensive changes to the core game's code, it created compatibility issues that frustrated many long-time Bannerlord modders. As noted by industry observers, there is a sentiment that War Sails might have functioned better as a standalone title rather than an add-on, as the naval gameplay features often feel isolated from the main game.


By incentivizing high-quality community mods, TaleWorlds hopes to bridge the gap between the base game and the expansion. While the injection of community-created content is a positive step, many players believe that additional official support and refinement for the DLC remain necessary to fully resolve these ongoing community concerns.