Bloodborne PSX Demake Faces Copyright Claim; 60fps Mod Creator Shares 'Copium' Remake Theory

The Bloodborne PSX demake has recently become the latest fan-driven project tied to the beloved action RPG to face a copyright claim. This follows shortly after the popular Bloodborne 60fps mod, created by renowned modder Lance McDonald, was taken down last week under a DMCA notice filed by Sony Interactive Entertainment.

Lance McDonald revealed that he received a formal request asking him to remove all public links to the patch, which had been available online for four years. As a result, he complied and removed the associated content from the web. Now, Lilith Walther, known for developing Nightmare Kart (formerly Bloodborne Kart) and the visually striking Bloodborne PSX demake, announced on Twitter that a YouTube video showcasing the demake was flagged with a copyright claim—this time issued by MarkScan Enforcement.

McDonald later clarified that MarkScan is a third-party firm contracted by Sony Interactive Entertainment—and the same entity responsible for issuing the previous DMCA takedown related to the Bloodborne 60fps mod patch page.

“And now they’ve DMCAed an old video about the Bloodborne PSX demake project. That’s pretty wild. What the hell are they doing??” he tweeted in response.

Bloodborne remains one of the most enigmatic titles in modern gaming. Originally released on PlayStation 4 to universal acclaim, it quickly became a cult classic. Despite its popularity, Sony has remained silent on any official updates, remasters, or sequels. Fans have long requested a native 60fps update, among other enhancements, but their hopes remain unfulfilled.

Recently, however, PC modders achieved what many thought impossible: running Bloodborne at a stable 60fps through PS4 emulation. Digital Foundry highlighted this breakthrough, explaining how ShadPS4 emulator now allows players to experience the game from start to finish in smoother frame rates—an unofficial “remaster” of sorts. Could this technological leap have prompted Sony’s recent wave of legal actions? IGN reached out to Sony for comment but has not yet received a response.

In the absence of concrete answers, McDonald floated what he called his “copium theory”—the idea that Sony may be preparing an official remake or enhanced edition of the game.

“My copium theory is that Sony DMCAed the 60fps patch and the video about the Bloodborne demake so that when they announce a 60fps remake, Google searching for ‘bloodborne 60fps’ and ‘Bloodborne remake’ won’t have collisions with our fan projects,” McDonald speculated.

He continued: “Let me cope.”

Then added: “Like, if they plan on trademarking ‘bloodborne 60fps’ and ‘Bloodborne remake,’ they need to actually clean up existing content in order to file a trademark request. Right??”

Despite these aggressive moves, there remains no official confirmation from Sony regarding future Bloodborne plans. Last month, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida shared his own theory during an interview with Kinda Funny Games:

“Bloodborne has always been the most asked thing,” Yoshida began. “People wonder why we haven’t done anything—even a simple update or remaster. Shouldn’t that be easy? After all, the company is known for remasters, and some fans get frustrated.

I have only my personal theory on the matter. I left first-party development, so I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes. But my guess is that Miyazaki-san really loved Bloodborne—what he created. He might be interested in revisiting it, but he’s incredibly busy and successful. He may not want anyone else to touch it. And the PlayStation team respects his wish. That’s my theory. Just my opinion. I’m not revealing any secrets, to be clear.”

Almost ten years after its original release, Bloodborne remains in a state of limbo. Yet hope lingers. While Hidetaka Miyazaki often avoids direct questions about the franchise due to Sony's ownership of the IP, he did acknowledge last year that the game would benefit from a modern hardware re-release. Whether that will ever come to pass remains uncertain—but the fan passion endures.