Creator of Bloodborne 60fps Patch Says Sony Has Sent Him a DMCA Takedown — but Why Now?

The creator of a popular Bloodborne 60fps patch has received a DMCA takedown notice from Sony. Lance McDonald, a well-known video game modder, announced the takedown on Twitter, stating he removed all online links to the patch as requested by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

McDonald referenced a past encounter with former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, where he jokingly mentioned creating the Bloodborne 60fps mod. Yoshida's reaction was reportedly laughter.

Bloodborne's continued absence of an official next-gen patch or remaster remains a significant point of contention among fans. While many desire a 60fps upgrade, calls for a remaster and sequel are also prevalent. McDonald's patch, and more recently, advancements in PS4 emulation via ShadPS4 (allowing for 60fps gameplay on PC), have attempted to fill this void. Whether these advancements prompted Sony's action remains unclear; IGN has reached out to Sony for comment.

Earlier this month, Yoshida offered his perspective on Bloodborne's inactivity in an interview with Kinda Funny Games. He theorized that Hidetaka Miyazaki's deep personal attachment to the game, coupled with his busy schedule, prevents him from allowing others to work on a remaster or update. Yoshida suggested that PlayStation respects Miyazaki's wishes.

Despite Miyazaki's frequent deflection of Bloodborne questions, citing FromSoftware's lack of IP ownership, he did acknowledge in February 2023 that the game would benefit from a release on more modern platforms. Bloodborne remains untouched nearly a decade after its initial release, leaving its future uncertain.