Wizards of the Coast has issued a DMCA takedown notice for a fan-created mod of Stardew Valley titled "Baldur's Village," which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the game. Despite the mod receiving public praise from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke shortly after its release earlier this month, it was taken down following the notice from Wizards of the Coast, the IP holder for Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate.
A spokesperson from Nexus Mods expressed hope that the takedown was an oversight by Wizards of the Coast, who often employ external agencies to identify infringing content. 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 to reiterate his support for the mod while acknowledging the complexities of IP protection. He tweeted, "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."
The takedown might be part of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast to manage the Baldur's Gate IP. At the recent Game Developers Conference, it was hinted that more details about future plans for the IP would be announced soon. It's unclear whether the Stardew Valley mod conflicted with these plans or if the takedown was a mistake that will be corrected. Wizards of the Coast has been contacted for further comment on the situation.
