As the Bloodborne PSX Demake Becomes the Latest Fan-Project to Suffer a Copyright Claim, the Creator of Bloodborne's 60fps Mod Has Offered His ‘Copium’ Official Remake Theory

The Bloodborne PSX demake, a fan-created project inspired by FromSoftware's acclaimed game, has recently faced a copyright claim, following in the footsteps of the Bloodborne 60fps mod that was similarly targeted last week. Lance McDonald, the creator of the 60fps mod, revealed that he received a takedown notice from Sony Interactive Entertainment, prompting him to remove all links to his patch. This action came four years after the mod's initial release.

Lilith Walther, known for her work on Nightmare Kart and the visually striking Bloodborne PSX demake, announced that a YouTube video showcasing the demake was hit with a copyright claim by MarkScan Enforcement. McDonald clarified that MarkScan is a company employed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the same entity responsible for the takedown of his 60fps mod page. He expressed confusion and frustration over these moves, questioning Sony's intentions.

Bloodborne, developed by FromSoftware and released exclusively on the PlayStation 4, has garnered immense popularity and critical praise. Despite its success, Sony has not pursued any official updates or sequels, leaving fans eager for enhancements like a 60fps patch, a remaster, or a sequel. Recent advancements in PS4 emulation, such as the breakthrough by ShadPS4 highlighted by Digital Foundry, have allowed the game to be played at 60fps on PC, potentially prompting Sony's recent aggressive copyright enforcement. IGN has reached out to Sony for comment, but has not received a response.

McDonald speculated that Sony's actions might be a precursor to an official Bloodborne remake announcement, suggesting that the company is clearing the digital space to avoid confusion with fan projects when searching for terms like "Bloodborne 60fps" and "Bloodborne remake." He theorized that Sony might be preparing to trademark these terms, necessitating the removal of existing fan projects.

Despite these developments, Sony has not indicated any plans to revisit Bloodborne. Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida offered his perspective on the game's dormancy, suggesting that FromSoftware's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, is protective of the game and unwilling to let anyone else work on it due to his busy schedule and success with other projects. Yoshida emphasized that this is merely a personal theory and not based on insider knowledge.

As Bloodborne approaches its tenth anniversary, the game remains untouched by official updates. However, Miyazaki has acknowledged that the game could benefit from being released on more modern hardware, hinting at potential future developments, though constrained by FromSoftware's lack of ownership over the IP.