The Bloodborne PSX demake, a recent fan-made project, has become the latest victim of a copyright claim, following last week's takedown of the Bloodborne 60fps mod. Lance McDonald, the well-known creator of the Bloodborne 60fps mod, announced a takedown notice from Sony Interactive Entertainment, requiring the removal of all online links to his patch – four years after its release. Now, Lilith Walther, creator of Nightmare Kart (formerly Bloodborne Kart) and the impressive Bloodborne PSX demake, reports a YouTube video showcasing her demake received a copyright claim from MarkScan Enforcement. McDonald confirmed MarkScan is a company employed by Sony, the same entity responsible for the DMCA takedown of his 60fps patch. He expressed bewilderment at this aggressive action, stating, "And now they’ve DMCAed an old video about the Bloodborne PSX demake project. That’s pretty wild. What the hell are they doing??"
Bloodborne's continued absence from the modern gaming landscape is a significant point of contention among fans. The critically acclaimed FromSoftware title, launched on PS4, remains untouched by Sony despite fervent calls for a 60fps patch, remaster, or sequel. Recently, PS4 emulators achieved a significant breakthrough, enabling near-remaster quality gameplay at 60fps on PC, as highlighted by Digital Foundry. This advancement raises questions about whether it triggered Sony's aggressive response. IGN has contacted Sony for comment but has yet to receive a reply.
McDonald proposed a speculative theory: that Sony's actions are preemptive measures to clear the way for an official 60fps remake. He suggests this would prevent conflicts in search results for terms like "Bloodborne 60fps" and "Bloodborne remake," potentially aiding in trademarking these phrases.
Despite these actions, Sony hasn't indicated any plans to revisit Bloodborne. Last month, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida offered a personal theory in an interview with Kinda Funny Games, suggesting that Hidetaka Miyazaki's deep attachment to Bloodborne and his busy schedule prevent him from overseeing a remaster or update, and the PlayStation team respects his wishes.
Bloodborne remains dormant nearly a decade after its release. While Miyazaki often deflects questions about the game, citing FromSoftware's lack of IP ownership, he did acknowledge in February 2023 that a release on modern hardware would be beneficial.
