Apology for DMCA Takedown Error
Wizards of the Coast acknowledges and is rectifying an accidental DMCA takedown request for the Baldur's Gate 3 Stardew mod: "We are currently addressing that issue."
Alrighty, listen up! That beloved Baldur's Village mod for Stardew Valley, where you got to woo Shadowheart and Astarion on a farm instead of the usual D&D setting, was brought down by a DMCA takedown. Thanks to some clumsy mug over at Wizards of the Coast.
You might remember this charming creation that took modders at least a year to craft, earning praise from none other than Swen Vincke, Larian CEO, who called it "Amazing work!"
But, y'know how it goes, big companies gotta crush the little guys sometimes. And so, just as the mod was gaining momentum, WotC stepped in like a bully at the playground, pullin' it off Nexus Mods like it was no big deal.
Now, Nexus Mods isn't one to kiss ass, so they tell PC Gamer that WotC issued a DMCA takedown notice for Baldur's Village. And just like that, it was "under moderation review" on the site since March 29.
They say it was a creative crossover that the community adores, and Swen's endorsement was well-deserved as he's been an inspirational leader in the gaming world. But I guess that don't mean much to WotC, huh?
Nexus Mods is keepin' the faith, though. They're hopin' this was a miscommunication on WotC's part. Fingers crossed, y'all.
But, let's be real, the gaming community's had their beef with WotC for a while now. Reminders of the open gaming license fiasco from 2023, that time they tried to shove pre-order nonsense onto our tabletop games, and that blunder with the AI promo image don't exactly paint them in a good light.
So, taking out a beloved mod like Baldur's Village? That ain't gonna go over well with fans who already have little goodwill towards the company. But, I reckon they won't keep it down. Destroying a fan-favorite mod that's got Swen's seal of approval? That's some next-level PR disaster.
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Joshua WolensA kid at heart, Joshua's first memory is of playing Quake 2 on the family computer and he hasn't been the same since. From visual novels and Assassin's Creed to CRPGs and immersive sims, he'll dive into pretty much any game. Notorious for defending Deus Ex: Invisible War, Joshua's writing can be found in Vice, Fanbyte, and the Financial Times.
- The takedown of the Baldur's Village mod for Stardew Valley, praised by Swen Vincke, has sparked outrage in the gaming community, reminding them of the open gaming license fiasco from 2023.
- The mod, a creative crossover adored by the community, was pulled down by a DMCA takedown notice from Wizards of the Coast, despite earning praise from big names in the gaming industry.
- The gaming community is already skeptical of Wizards of the Coast due to past incidents such as pushing pre-order nonsense onto tabletop games and using an AI promo image that caused backlash.
- The removal of Baldur's Village is not siting well with fans who had little goodwill towards the company to begin with.
- Nexus Mods, where the mod was hosted, is hoping that the removal was due to a miscommunication and they are keeping the mod under moderation review since March 29.
- The mod's creators put in a significant amount of work over a year to develop Baldur's Village, transforming the usual D&D setting into a farm where players could woo Shadowheart and Astarion.
- This profound action by WotC on social media is once again bringing the issue of big companies potentially crushing the little guys in the entertainment industry, including movies and TV, to the forefront.
