Sony Issues DMCA Takedown to Bloodborne 60fps Patch Creator: What's the Motive?

The creator of the high-profile Bloodborne 60fps patch, Lance McDonald, has announced that he received a DMCA takedown notice from Sony Interactive Entertainment. In a tweet, McDonald revealed that he was asked to remove links to the patch he had posted online, and he complied with the request. He also referenced a YouTube video he released in 2021 about the patch and shared an anecdote about a meeting with former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, where he disclosed that he had created the 60fps mod for Bloodborne, eliciting a hearty laugh from Yoshida.

Bloodborne, developed by FromSoftware, has been a significant topic of discussion in the gaming community since its acclaimed launch on the PS4. Fans have been clamoring for an official next-gen patch to boost the game's frame rate from 30fps to 60fps, along with calls for a remaster and a sequel. However, Sony has not made any official updates to the game, leaving modders like McDonald to fill the void. Recently, advancements in PS4 emulation, highlighted by Digital Foundry's coverage of ShadPS4, have enabled fans to play Bloodborne at 60fps on PC, which might have prompted Sony's aggressive response. IGN has reached out to Sony for further comment on the matter.

In an interview with Kinda Funny Games earlier this month, Shuhei Yoshida shared his theory on why Bloodborne has not seen any updates or remasters. He suggested that FromSoftware's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, is deeply attached to the game and may not want anyone else to work on it due to his busy schedule with other successful projects. Yoshida emphasized that this is only his personal theory and not based on any insider information.

Despite nearly a decade passing since its release, Bloodborne remains untouched by official updates. However, there is a glimmer of hope as Miyazaki has acknowledged in past interviews that the game could benefit from being released on more modern hardware, although he often deflects direct questions about the game's future, citing that FromSoftware does not own the IP.