Wizards of the Coast has taken action against a fan-created mod for Stardew Valley, titled "Baldur's Village," which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the popular farming simulation game. Despite receiving public acclaim from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke shortly after its release earlier this month, the mod was removed following a DMCA takedown notice issued by Wizards of the Coast, the holder of the Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate intellectual properties.
Vincke initially praised the mod on Twitter, calling it an "amazing work" filled with "so much love." However, the mod's removal led Vincke to comment further on the situation, expressing continued support for the mod while acknowledging the complexities of intellectual property protection. In his recent tweet, Vincke stated, "Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this." He emphasized the value of fan mods as a form of organic promotion, suggesting they should not be treated as commercial infringements.
A Nexus Mods spokesperson expressed hope that the takedown was an oversight by Wizards of the Coast, possibly due to the use of external agencies to monitor IP violations, and hoped for a reversal of the decision.
This incident may be indicative of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast concerning the Baldur's Gate IP. Recent announcements at the Game Developers Conference hinted at forthcoming plans for the IP, which might have influenced the decision to remove the mod. Whether this takedown was a deliberate move or a mistake remains unclear, as Wizards of the Coast has yet to respond to inquiries about the situation.
