A widely embraced mod for Stardew Valley, titled “Baldur’s Village,”recently faced removal due to a DMCA notice. Thankfully, the situation has since been resolved, as the complainants acknowledged their error and retracted the claim. This popular modification has already garnered over 50,000 downloads, solidifying its status as a fan favorite within the gaming community.
Return of Stardew Valley’s Baldur’s Village Mod Following DMCA Misunderstanding
The excitement surrounding the “Baldur’s Village”mod took a turn when it was unexpectedly taken down by Wizards of the Coast LLC, the publisher behind Dungeons & Dragons. Fortunately, the situation was rectified quickly, with the publisher publicly apologizing for the erroneous DMCA claim, which had likely been submitted in error as part of an extensive sweep against unauthorized fan content.
In a statement provided to PC Gamer, Wizards of the Coast clarified the mix-up:
“The Baldur’s Village DMCA takedown was issued mistakenly—we are sorry about that. We are in the process of fixing that now so fans and the Stardew community can continue to enjoy this great mod!”
Since its debut just last month, this mod has surpassed an impressive 50,000 downloads and earned praise from notable figures in the gaming industry, including Swen Vincke, the prominent designer of the Divinity franchise and Baldur’s Gate 3. Vincke expressed his support, noting:
“Free quality fan mods highlighting your characters in other game genres are proof your work resonates and a unique form of word of mouth. Imho they shouldn’t be treated like commercial ventures that infringe on your property.”
Prior to the takedown, the mod’s creators had been diligently fixing bugs and enhancing gameplay features, particularly focusing on Astarion’s 10-heart event. The mod developers expressed their disappointment over the disruption, particularly for players eager to explore the new content they had been crafting.
Following an outpouring of support from the gaming community and endorsements from industry leaders, the tide turned favorably for the creators. The D&D publishers have since apologized for the misunderstanding, leading to the full restoration of the Baldur’s Village mod for players to enjoy once more.