Wizards of the Coast Issues DMCA on Fan's Baldur's Gate 3 Stardew Valley Mod, Larian CEO Responds

Wizards of the Coast has recently issued a DMCA takedown notice for a fan-created mod called "Baldur's Village," which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the popular game Stardew Valley. This action came shortly after the mod's release earlier this month, despite receiving public praise from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke, who had lauded the mod's creativity and dedication on Twitter.

The mod's removal was confirmed by a Nexus Mods spokesperson who expressed hope that the takedown might be an oversight by Wizards of the Coast, who often employ external agencies to monitor IP violations. The spokesperson remains optimistic, stating, "Hopefully, this is an oversight from WotC... 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 commented, "Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this." Vincke emphasized the value of fan mods, stating, "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."

This incident might be indicative of a broader initiative by Wizards of the Coast to protect the Baldur's Gate IP, especially in light of upcoming announcements teased at the Game Developers Conference. It remains unclear whether the Stardew Valley mod conflicted with these plans or if the takedown was an error that will be corrected. Wizards of the Coast has been contacted for further comment on the situation.