Once again, value isn’t fixed.
Let’s do an example. Let’s do it with Remplace.
It’s a very simple functional mod. If you have no idea of modding, it’s probably a lot like “It adds a button and a new tool, so what?” to you, so let’s roll with that. What do you put its value at?
Personally, if I was to sell Remplace, I would do it for probably a dollar, maybe up to three dollars per license. I think that, albeit it’s a small mod that has “only” taken two afternoons to create, it adds something to the game. It makes a player’s life much easier by dealing with the whole furniture replacement business. I think that’s worth a dollar or two, given the minutes (or hours) you will save by using it.
What’s it worth to you, though? You may say that such functionality should be included in the base game and therefore, it should be free. By that logic, and with little to no limits to what should be included in the base game, you could argue that every mod ought to be free. Let’s not take that road, because it’s leading straight to fundamentalist road where a discussion isn’t really possible anymore.
You may agree with my price and there’s the perfect match, we have a mutual beneficial transaction. You give me money, I give you functionality. In this case, we could even argue that it’s less about buying something than buying a service. The same way you’re not really buying a cinema ticket, but rather the permission to occupy a seat for two hours and access to overpriced snacks.
You may disagree with my price, either because it’s too high or rarely because it’s too low. If you think it’s too low, you value it higher than I do. The usual thing, I would say, to do is just gift it to your friends too, or do some PR - helping indirectly.
If you disagree with the price because it’s too high, however, we have a little issue. Because as I’ve said, everyone values stuff different, it’s ultimately the creator’s right to choose what “value” it has. You’re not going to a supermarket and then negotiate with Nestlé because you think your Nesquik was way too pricey. I mean, nobody prevents you from doing that, but nobody will take you serious either. In the end, it’s the creator’s right to set the price and the customer’s right to refuse the service/product if there’s any sort of disagreement.
If you don’t want to pay for it, you don’t get access to it. That’s how the world works, and probably will continue to do so for a very, very long time.
Yes, sure, Valve has all that fancy executive salary thing. I suppose you also want them to give you every second game for free because they can afford it and after all, nobody needs to pay the content creators. Or do they?
Of all the publisher evils that are out there, I seriously believe that Valve, even with their recent mishaps, is still far from being the worst and probably around the best. But I’m sure you can ignore the statements from several independent developers that are claiming that. I bet they’re bought by Valve, too. Probably with hat money. Those bastards.