Bloodborne PS1 Demake Faces Copyright Challenge

The PS1 demake of Bloodborne recently faced a copyright issue, as revealed by the project’s creator on social media. This YouTube claim against the fan project came just days after another copyright takedown by Sony, this time targeting a 60 FPS patch for the game. Both actions were executed by MarkScan Enforcement, acting on Sony’s behalf.

Bloodborne first hit the shelves in March 2015 as a PS4 exclusive. Developed through a joint effort between Sony and FromSoftware, with direction by Hidetaka Miyazaki of Dark Souls fame, the game immerses players in the eerie, Gothic-inspired city of Yharnam. As a Hunter, players battle citizens turned monsters by a sinister blood disease, lycanthropy being the common affliction. The game’s devoted fanbase has long been vocal about their desire for an official remake, but some enthusiasts have gone a step further, creating their own tributes to the beloved title.

Three years post its debut, the Bloodborne PS1 demake creator reported a copyright claim on a related YouTube video. The news, highlighted by IGN and shared by developer Lilith Walther, disclosed the takedown by MarkScan Enforcement. Remarkably, the PS1 demake became a hit on its release day, garnering over 100,000 downloads on Itch.io within mere hours. Despite the legal hurdles, the demake remains available for Windows PC, with its latest release being version 1.05. This action marks the second legal entanglement for Bloodborne fan projects in early 2025.

On January 31, a separate fan creation, a 60 FPS patch for Bloodborne, received its own DMCA takedown. Despite playable backward compatibility on the PS5, Bloodborne consistently runs at 30 FPS. Lance McDonald, who developed the patch, confirmed that MarkScan Enforcement was responsible for this legal move as well. McDonald speculated that such actions might indicate Sony’s plans for a potential Bloodborne remake, suspecting that the fan projects might disrupt search engine rankings and marketing efforts.

The possibility of a Bloodborne remake hangs in the air, hinted at by former Sony head Shuhei Yoshida, although neither Sony nor FromSoftware has made any official confirmations. Fans are left to wonder and wait for the chance to revisit the haunting world of Yharnam.