Sony Issues DMCA to Bloodborne 60fps Patch Creator: Timing Questioned

The creator of the high-profile Bloodborne 60fps patch, Lance McDonald, has announced that he received a DMCA takedown notice from Sony Interactive Entertainment. In a tweet, McDonald stated that the notice compelled him to remove links to the patch he had shared online, which he has complied with. This development follows McDonald's previous release of a YouTube video in 2021 detailing the Bloodborne 60fps patch. He also recounted an amusing encounter with former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, where he disclosed his creation of the 60fps mod for Bloodborne, eliciting a hearty laugh from Yoshida.

Bloodborne, developed by FromSoftware, remains a significant enigma in the gaming world. Launched on the PS4 to widespread critical and commercial success, the game has seen no further updates from Sony. Fans eagerly await an official next-gen patch to elevate the game's performance to 60fps from its current 30fps, alongside demands for a remaster and a sequel. In the absence of official updates, enthusiasts like McDonald have stepped in to bridge the gap. Recently, advancements in PS4 emulation, particularly through the efforts of ShadPS4 as showcased by Digital Foundry, have enabled full playthroughs of Bloodborne at 60fps on PC. This progress might have prompted Sony's aggressive stance, leading IGN to seek a comment from Sony.

In an interview with Kinda Funny Games earlier this month, Yoshida shared his personal theory on why Bloodborne has not seen further development. He suggested that FromSoftware's president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, is deeply attached to the game but, due to his busy schedule, cannot oversee new projects himself and is unwilling to let others handle it. Yoshida believes that the PlayStation team respects Miyazaki's wishes, which could explain the lack of progress on Bloodborne. Yoshida emphasized that this was merely his theory and not an official statement.

Despite nearly a decade passing since its release, Bloodborne remains untouched. However, there is a glimmer of hope. In interviews, Miyazaki has hinted at the potential benefits of porting Bloodborne to more modern hardware, though he often redirects questions to the fact that FromSoftware does not own the intellectual property.