Overview

Sony is stepping up its legal campaign against fan-made projects related to the cult classic RPG, Bloodborne. The company aims to eliminate any trace of adaptations like BloodbornePSX, causing concern among enthusiasts of the game.

Recent Developments
Lilith Walther, an avid fan of Bloodborne and designer of the parody game Nightmare Kart, recently found her projects under threat. After promoting BloodbornePSX via a YouTube video, she received notice that the distributor MarkScan, operating on Sony’s behalf, initiated a DMCA takedown of the related content, claiming copyright infringements.

Background

Previously, Walther successfully launched a demake of Bloodborne characterized by PS1 graphics. However, the legal pressure from Sony has forced her to reconsider future releases of her fan game.

In her response on social media, Walther indicated that she initially complied with the takedown request by removing the download links but has now decided against making the game available at all moving forward.

Discussion
The situation has sparked debate about Sony’s aggressive copyright enforcement strategies. The enforcer, MarkScan, has also targeted related fan projects, including the recent takedown of a 60 fps patch for Bloodborne compatible with PC emulators.

While legal rights to protect intellectual property are acknowledged, many argue that the methods employed by Sony, particularly in dealing with harmless fan initiatives, seem overly severe. There is speculation that this could be a precursor to an official release of Bloodborne on PC, yet many believe the company would benefit by supporting its dedicated fanbase instead of stifling it.

Conclusion

As fans await further developments, it remains to be seen whether Sony will alter its approach or if fan projects will continue to face these heavy-handed tactics.