Home 
Navigation
Wizards of the Coast has recently issued a DMCA takedown notice against a fan-created mod for Stardew Valley called "Baldur's Village," which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the game. Despite receiving public praise from Larian Studios CEO Sven Winke shortly after its release, the mod was swiftly removed due to the takedown notice.
The mod, which was released earlier this month, garnered attention and admiration from Winke, who took to Twitter to express his appreciation, stating, "So much love went into this - amazing work!" However, the celebration was short-lived as Wizards of the Coast, the holder of the Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate intellectual property, intervened.
A spokesperson from Nexus Mods expressed hope that the takedown was an oversight on the part of Wizards of the Coast, who often employ external agencies to monitor and address IP violations. The spokesperson said, "Hopefully, this is an oversight from WotC, who often use external agencies to hunt down violating content, and they will revert their decision. Fingers crossed for Baldur's Village."
In response to the situation, Sven Winke took to Twitter once again to voice his support for the mod while acknowledging the complexities of IP protection. He stated, "Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this." Winke further emphasized the value of fan mods, suggesting they serve as a testament to the impact and reach of the original work, and should not be treated as commercial infringements.
This incident may be part of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast to protect the Baldur's Gate IP, especially in light of upcoming announcements about the franchise's future, as hinted at during the Game Developers Conference. It remains to be seen whether this takedown was a deliberate move or a mistake that will be corrected. Wizards of the Coast has been contacted for further comment on the situation.
Latest Articles
Latest Games
