Wizards of the Coast has recently issued a DMCA takedown notice against a popular fan-created mod for Stardew Valley titled "Baldur's Village," which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the farming simulation game. The mod, released earlier this month, had initially received public praise from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke, who described it as an "amazing work" filled with love.
However, the celebratory atmosphere around the mod was short-lived. A spokesperson from Nexus Mods told PC Gamer that Wizards of the Coast, the holder of the Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate intellectual properties, enforced the takedown. The Nexus Mods spokesperson expressed hope that this move might be an oversight, possibly due to Wizards of the Coast's use of external agencies to monitor IP violations, and suggested that the decision might be reversed.
In response to the takedown, Sven Vincke took to Twitter once again to voice his support for the mod while acknowledging the complexities of IP protection. He emphasized the value of fan mods as a testament to the resonance of the original work and argued that they should not be treated as commercial infringements. "Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this," Vincke stated.
This incident may be indicative of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast concerning the Baldur's Gate IP. At the recent Game Developers Conference, it was hinted that announcements regarding future plans for the IP are forthcoming. It remains to be seen whether the takedown of the Stardew Valley mod was a deliberate move in line with these plans or an error that will be corrected. Wizards of the Coast has been contacted for further comment on the matter.
