Wizards of the Coast has recently taken action against a fan-created mod for Stardew Valley titled "Baldur's Village," which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the farming simulation game. The mod, which was released earlier this month, received public acclaim from Sven Winke, CEO of Larian Studios, who praised the effort and creativity behind it on Twitter.
However, shortly after its release, Wizards of the Coast, the holder of the Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate intellectual properties, issued a DMCA takedown notice, leading to the mod's removal from Nexus Mods. A spokesperson from Nexus Mods expressed hope that this might be an oversight on Wizards of the Coast's part, suggesting that the decision could be reversed.
In response to the takedown, Sven Winke took to Twitter once again to voice his support for the mod while acknowledging the complexities of IP protection. He emphasized the value of fan mods as a form of positive engagement and word-of-mouth marketing, 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. Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this."
This incident may be part of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast regarding the Baldur's Gate IP, as hinted at during the Game Developers Conference. The company is expected to announce future plans for the IP soon, which might have influenced the decision to issue the takedown. Alternatively, it could be a mistake that Wizards of the Coast will quickly rectify. Efforts have been made to contact Wizards of the Coast for further comment on the situation.
