Stardew Valley Baldur’s Gate 3 mod praised by Larian boss gets yanked by lawyers

UPDATE 1/4/25: Wizards of the Coast has acknowledged that the recent DMCA takedown of the Stardew Valley Baldur’s Village mod was a ‘misunderstanding’ and it is currently “in the process of rectifying” the situation.

“The DMCA takedown of Baldur’s Village was issued in error – we apologize for that,” the company stated in a statement provided to IGN. “We are actively working to resolve that now so that fans and the Stardew community can keep enjoying this fantastic mod!”

ORIGINAL STORY 31/3/25: Just weeks after a Baldur’s Gate 3-themed Stardew Valley mod was celebrated as “incredible” by Larian Studios co-founder Swen Vincke, legal representatives for Dungeons & Dragons parent company Wizards of the Coast have issued a DMCA takedown.

The Baldur’s Village mod, launched earlier this month after over a year in development, gives players the chance to explore a brand new village north of Stardew Valley’s Pelican Town, inhabited by some “rather unique” characters. Its Baldur’s Gate 3-inspired features included a romanceable Astarion, a new tavern, and more.

At that time, its creator, Xun, noted that the release was merely the beginning, with a storyline for Halsin also planned in addition to more “world-building, backstories, and gameplay”. Yet even this initial version caught the attention of Larian’s head Swen Vincke, who shared news of its launch on social media, stating, “So much love went into this – fantastic work!”

Regrettably, it seems that Dungeons & Dragons rights holder Wizards of the Coast was less impressed, as Baldur’s Village has now disappeared from the modding site Nexus Mods following the company’s lawyers issuing a DMCA takedown over the weekend.

In a statement given to PC Gamer, Nexus Mods described Baldur’s Village – which remains “under moderation review” on the site at the current moment – as an “incredibly imaginative crossover to Stardew Valley that the community adores.” They added, “We hope this is merely a mistake on WotC’s part, who often employ external agencies to find infringing content, and that they will reverse their decision. We are hopeful for Baldur’s Village.”

Larian’s Swen Vincke also voiced his support for mods like Baldur’s Village on social media. “High-quality fan mods featuring your characters in different game genres are evidence your work resonates and serve as a unique form of marketing,” he stated. “In my opinion, they shouldn’t be treated as commercial enterprises that violate your intellectual property. Protecting your IP can be complex, but I genuinely hope this matter gets resolved. There are better ways to address this.”

Wizards of the Coast and its parent company Hasbro have, understandably, demonstrated a keen interest in continuing the Baldur’s Gate franchise following the massive success of Baldur’s Gate 3 – despite the fact that Larian may not be involved