As the Bloodborne PSX Demake Becomes the Latest Fan-Project to Suffer a Copyright Claim, the Creator of Bloodborne's 60fps Mod Has Offered His ‘Copium’ Official Remake Theory

The Bloodborne PSX demake, a fan project inspired by the iconic FromSoftware game, has recently encountered a copyright claim, following in the footsteps of the Bloodborne 60fps mod. Lance McDonald, the creator of the well-known 60fps mod, revealed that he received a DMCA takedown notice from Sony Interactive Entertainment last week, compelling him to remove all links to his patch. This action came four years after the mod's initial release.

Adding to the series of events, Lilith Walther, the creative mind behind Nightmare Kart (formerly known as Bloodborne Kart) and the visually striking Bloodborne PSX demake, announced that a YouTube video showcasing the demake was hit with a copyright claim by MarkScan Enforcement. McDonald clarified that MarkScan is a company employed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the same entity responsible for the DMCA notice against his 60fps patch page. He expressed his bewilderment at the situation, questioning the motives behind these actions.

Bloodborne, a critically acclaimed title developed by FromSoftware and released exclusively on the PS4, remains a topic of intense interest within the gaming community. Fans have been vocal about their desire for an official next-gen update to boost the game's frame rate to 60fps, alongside calls for a remaster and a sequel. Recent advancements in PS4 emulation technology, highlighted by Digital Foundry's coverage of ShadPS4, have enabled players to experience Bloodborne at 60fps on PC, which might have prompted Sony's aggressive response. IGN has reached out to Sony for a statement, but as of now, there has been no response.

In the midst of these developments, McDonald proposed a speculative theory suggesting that Sony's actions could be a precursor to an official announcement of a 60fps remake. He suggested that Sony might be clearing the digital space to avoid confusion when searching for terms like "Bloodborne 60fps" and "Bloodborne remake." McDonald humorously referred to this as his "copium theory," hinting at his hope that these moves could signal future official developments.

Despite these aggressive copyright actions, Sony has not hinted at any plans to revisit Bloodborne. Shuhei Yoshida, a former PlayStation executive, shared his theory on the lack of updates or remasters for Bloodborne during an interview with Kinda Funny Games. He speculated that FromSoftware's Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game's director, might be protective of the title and unwilling to let others touch it, a sentiment respected by the PlayStation team.

As Bloodborne approaches nearly a decade since its release, the game remains untouched by official updates. Miyazaki has acknowledged in past interviews the potential benefits of releasing Bloodborne on more modern hardware, though he often redirects questions about the game's future to the fact that FromSoftware does not own the IP.