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-made project, has become the latest victim of a copyright claim, following last week's takedown of the Bloodborne 60fps mod. Lance McDonald, the well-known creator of the 60fps mod, announced a takedown notice from Sony Interactive Entertainment, removing links to his patch four years after its release. Similarly, Lilith Walther, creator of the Bloodborne PSX demake and Nightmare Kart (formerly Bloodborne Kart), reported a copyright claim by MarkScan Enforcement on a YouTube video showcasing the demake. McDonald revealed MarkScan is a company hired by Sony, the same entity responsible for the DMCA takedown of his 60fps patch. He expressed bewilderment at these actions, stating, "And now they’ve DMCAed an old video about the Bloodborne PSX demake project. That’s pretty wild. What the hell are they doing??"

Bloodborne's continued absence from the current generation of consoles is a significant point of contention among fans. Despite its critical and commercial success on PS4, Sony has yet to release an official next-gen patch, remaster, or sequel, leaving fans clamoring for a 60fps upgrade. Recent breakthroughs in PS4 emulation, notably ShadPS4, allowing for a near-remaster experience at 60fps on PC via Digital Foundry's showcased emulation, raise speculation regarding Sony's aggressive response. While Sony has yet to comment, McDonald proposed a "copium theory": that Sony's actions aim to clear the search results for "Bloodborne 60fps" and "Bloodborne remake" before announcing an official 60fps remake, potentially for trademark purposes.

Despite these actions, Sony has given no indication of future Bloodborne plans. Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida offered his perspective, suggesting that Hidetaka Miyazaki's deep affection for Bloodborne and his current workload prevent him from overseeing any updates or remasters, and that the PlayStation team respects his wishes. Miyazaki himself has consistently deflected questions regarding Bloodborne, citing FromSoftware's lack of IP ownership. However, he did acknowledge in February 2023 that the game would benefit from a release on more modern hardware. The situation leaves Bloodborne dormant nearly a decade after its initial release, with its future remaining uncertain.