Wizards of the Coast DMCA Targets Fan's Baldur's Gate 3 Mod, Larian CEO Reacts

Wizards of the Coast has taken down a fan-created mod for Stardew Valley called "Baldur's Village," which added characters from Baldur's Gate 3 to the game. Initially, the mod received praise from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke, who commended the effort and creativity behind it. However, shortly after its release, Wizards of the Coast, the owner of the Dungeons & Dragons and Baldur's Gate IP, issued a DMCA takedown notice.

A spokesperson from Nexus Mods expressed hope that the takedown was an oversight, suggesting that Wizards of the Coast might reverse their decision. They stated, "Hopefully, this is an oversight from WotC, who often use external agencies to hunt down violating content, and they will revert their decision. Fingers crossed for Baldur's Village."

In response to the situation, Sven Vincke took to Twitter to voice his support for the mod once more, while acknowledging the complexities of IP protection. He tweeted, "Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this."

Vincke further emphasized the value of fan mods, saying, "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."

The takedown might be part of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast regarding the Baldur's Gate IP. Recent discussions at the Game Developers Conference hinted at upcoming announcements about the IP. It's unclear whether the Stardew Valley mod conflicted with these plans or if the takedown was a mistake that will be corrected. Wizards of the Coast has been contacted for further comment on the situation.