The Bloodborne PSX demake, a fan-created project, has recently been targeted with a copyright claim, following a similar action against the Bloodborne 60fps mod last week. Lance McDonald, the creator of the 60fps mod, received a takedown notice from Sony Interactive Entertainment, prompting him to remove links to his patch four years after its initial release.
Lilith Walther, known for projects like Nightmare Kart and the Bloodborne PSX demake, announced that a YouTube video showcasing the demake was hit with a copyright claim by MarkScan Enforcement. McDonald later confirmed that MarkScan is a company employed by Sony Interactive Entertainment, the same entity that issued the DMCA against his 60fps patch. He expressed confusion and frustration over these actions, questioning Sony's motives.
Bloodborne, developed by FromSoftware and released on the PS4, has garnered immense popularity and critical acclaim but has not seen any official updates or sequels from Sony. The gaming community has been vocal about their desire for a next-gen patch to boost the game's frame rate to 60fps, as well as calls for a full remaster or a sequel.
In a significant development, the tech team at Digital Foundry highlighted a breakthrough in PS4 emulation with ShadPS4, allowing Bloodborne to be played at 60fps on PC. This could potentially be the trigger for Sony's recent aggressive copyright enforcement actions. IGN reached out to Sony for comment, but no response has been received yet.
McDonald speculated that Sony's actions might be a strategic move to clear the way for an official 60fps remake announcement, suggesting that Sony may be preparing to trademark phrases like 'bloodborne 60fps' and 'Bloodborne remake.' However, there is no concrete evidence to support this theory, and Sony has not indicated any plans to revisit Bloodborne.
Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida shared his personal theory on why Bloodborne has not seen any updates. He suggested that FromSoftware's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, might be protective of the game due to his deep personal connection to it and his busy schedule, preventing others from working on it. Yoshida emphasized that this was his speculation and not based on insider information.
Despite these developments, Bloodborne remains untouched nearly a decade after its release. While Miyazaki has acknowledged that the game could benefit from modern hardware, he has consistently deflected questions about its future, citing FromSoftware's lack of ownership over the IP.
