Wizards of the Coast, the company behind Dungeons & Dragons and the Baldur's Gate IP, has recently issued a DMCA takedown notice against a fan-created mod for Stardew Valley titled "Baldur's Village." This mod, which integrates characters from Baldur's Gate 3 into the Stardew Valley universe, had initially received public praise from Larian Studios CEO Sven Vincke, who lauded the mod's dedication and quality on Twitter.

However, the mod was taken down following the DMCA notice from Wizards of the Coast. A spokesperson from Nexus Mods expressed hope that this might be an oversight on the part of Wizards of the Coast, suggesting that the decision could potentially be reversed. They noted that Wizards of the Coast often employs external agencies to monitor and address content violations.

In response to the takedown, Sven Vincke took to Twitter once again, expressing his continued support for the mod while acknowledging the complexities of IP protection. He stated, "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. Protecting your IP can be tricky but I do hope this gets settled. There are good ways of dealing with this."

This incident may be indicative of a broader strategy by Wizards of the Coast to protect the Baldur's Gate IP, especially in light of recent announcements at the Game Developers Conference about upcoming plans for the franchise. It remains to be seen whether this takedown was a strategic move or an error that will be corrected. Wizards of the Coast has been contacted for further comment on the situation.