Wizards of the Coast DMCA Strikes Fan's Baldur's Gate 3 Mod, Larian CEO Reacts

Wizards of the Coast has recently issued a DMCA takedown notice targeting a fan-created mod for Stardew Valley, named "Baldur's Village," which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the game. This action comes shortly after the mod received public acclaim from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke, who praised the mod's creativity and dedication.

The mod, which was released earlier this month, quickly caught the attention of the gaming community, leading to Vincke's initial positive comments on Twitter. However, the celebration was short-lived as Wizards of the Coast, the holder of the Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate intellectual property, decided to take legal action against the mod.

A spokesperson from Nexus Mods expressed hope that the takedown was an oversight on Wizards of the Coast's part, often relying on external agencies to monitor IP violations. They stated, "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 takedown, Sven Vincke took to Twitter once more 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." Vincke further emphasized the value of fan mods, saying, "Free quality fan mods highlighting your characters in other game genres are proof your work resonates and a unique form of word of mouth. Imho they shouldn't be treated like commercial ventures that infringe on your property."

The timing of this takedown raises questions about whether it is part of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast concerning the Baldur's Gate IP. At the recent Game Developers Conference, hints were dropped about upcoming plans for the IP, suggesting that the company may be tightening its control over its properties. It remains to be seen if this action against the Stardew Valley mod was a deliberate move or an error that will be corrected.

Efforts have been made to reach out to Wizards of the Coast for further comment on the situation.