CC is a normal contract service for creative works, it works much the same way in every creative industry using outside contract services. It is simply the business side is now being made more public/open in order to allow for more official content to be made for their two major titles, and upcoming titles. It is going to be reviewed as a concept, and in each stage of development by a dedicated team at bethesda, Anyone can apply to join but you do need to have some work to show before hand, thus programmers, artists, and mod authors will have a good way to work with bethesda to make official content for a fee. As mods are literally not official content, the CC is simply not mods. If it is official it is official, if it is not official, it is a mod. As for "paid mods" in concept, yes it is rightly back and done proper, as it has been a successful practice for consumers, modders, and IP owner in other parts of the industry for nearly 20 years now. It is about time bethesda did it right to protect consumers and provide a method for hobbiests to transition into professional fields. This does not effect you if you do not buy items on CC, it has no effect on existing mods. It does not take anything away from you end users. In fact you lost more from the rash of mod thefts than you ever would with "paid mods"