Wizards of the Coast has taken action against a popular fan mod for Stardew Valley titled "Baldur's Village," which integrated characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the farming simulation game. Despite receiving public acclaim from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke shortly after its release earlier this month, the mod has been removed following a DMCA takedown notice issued by Wizards of the Coast, the IP holder for Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate.
Vincke initially praised the mod on Twitter, highlighting the love and effort put into its creation. However, the mod's removal prompted Vincke to address the situation again, emphasizing the complexities of IP protection. He expressed hope for a resolution, stating, "Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this." Vincke also argued that fan mods like "Baldur's Village" serve as a testament to the impact of the original work and should not be treated as commercial infringements.
The takedown may be part of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast concerning the Baldur's Gate IP. At the recent Game Developers Conference, hints were given about upcoming plans for the franchise, suggesting that the mod might have conflicted with these initiatives. Alternatively, the removal could be an oversight that Wizards of the Coast might reverse. Efforts have been made to contact Wizards of the Coast for further clarification on the matter.
