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 revealed that he was asked to remove all links to the patch he had shared online, and he complied with the request. He also referenced a YouTube video he released in 2021 about the patch and shared an amusing anecdote about meeting former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida. During their conversation, McDonald mentioned creating the 60fps mod for Bloodborne, which elicited 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 not seen any official updates from Sony, leaving fans yearning for a next-gen patch to boost its frame rate from 30fps to 60fps, as well as calls for a remaster and a sequel. In the absence of official action, enthusiasts like McDonald have stepped in to fill the void. Recently, advancements in PS4 emulation, highlighted by Digital Foundry's coverage of ShadPS4, have enabled fans to experience Bloodborne at 60fps on PC, raising questions about whether this progress prompted Sony's aggressive response. IGN has reached out to Sony for comment on the matter.

In an interview with Kinda Funny Games earlier this month, Shuhei Yoshida shared his personal theory on why Bloodborne has not received any updates or remasters. Yoshida, who has since left the first-party division, speculated that FromSoftware's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, is deeply attached to Bloodborne and, despite his busy schedule, does not want anyone else to work on it. Yoshida suggested that the PlayStation team respects Miyazaki's wishes, which might explain the game's dormancy.

Despite the lack of official updates, there remains a glimmer of hope for Bloodborne fans. In interviews, Miyazaki has acknowledged that the game could benefit from being released on more modern hardware, although he often deflects direct questions about the game's future, citing that FromSoftware does not own the IP. As the game approaches nearly a decade since its initial release, the community continues to hold out hope for some form of revival or enhancement.