Sony has issued a DMCA takedown notice against the widely acclaimed 60 FPS mod for the game Bloodborne. The mod was created by prolific modder and FromSoftware games researcher, Lance McDonald. This move forces McDonald to cease publicly providing access to the patch files that enhanced the game’s performance.
McDonald released the patch in February 2021, making Bloodborne run at a smooth 60 frames per second on modded PlayStation 4 systems. On January 31, McDonald reported that he had received a DMCA takedown notification from Sony Interactive Entertainment. The notification compelled him to remove the download links for his popular modification.
“In February 2021, I created and released a patch for Bloodborne which makes the game run at 60fps,” McDonald shared in a post. “Today, I received a DMCA takedown notification on behalf of Sony Interactive Entertainment asking that I remove links to the patch I posted on the internet, so I’ve now done so.”
The mod had been applauded by many fans for demonstrating a significant performance boost. Unfortunately, finding the files necessary to bring this enhancement to life on a personal modded PlayStation 4 will now be more challenging.
Sony’s DMCA takedown of McDonald’s mod
The timing of Sony’s action, coming nearly four years after the mod’s release, has led some fans to speculate that Sony might be working on improving Bloodborne’s framerate themselves. This could possibly be for a remaster or re-release.
However, observers are wary of investing too much hope in that possibility without official confirmation. For players who wish to experience Bloodborne at higher framerates, an alternative route exists. They can run the game via an early PlayStation 4 emulator on a capable PC.
This method can provide visual and performance upgrades similar to what McDonald’s patch offered. However, it requires a powerful system and some technical know-how. Fans of Bloodborne and modding communities alike lament the loss of easy access to McDonald’s patch.
They continue to hold out hope for future official enhancements from Sony.
