Tag: DMCA

Valve removes the most popular mod of Counter-Strike 2 to avoid getting into trouble with Microsoft

Valve has removed the Project Misriah mod for Counter-Strike 2 after receiving a DMCA notice from Microsoft, which alleges copyright infringement. This mod aimed to recreate the multiplayer of Halo 3 within the sequel of Valve’s popular shooter, adjusting mechanics, weaponry, and sounds to emulate the classic experience of Bungie’s game. Copying Halo doesn’t sound like the best idea The creator of Project Misriah, Froddoyo, made the news public through a message on Twitter, where he included an image of the DMCA notice. According to the claim, the […]

Valve has removed the Project Misriah mod for Counter-Strike 2 after receiving a DMCA notice from Microsoft, which claims copyright infringement. This mod aimed to recreate the multiplayer of Halo 3 within the sequel to Valve’s popular shooter, adjusting mechanics, weaponry, and sounds to emulate the classic experience of Bungie’s game.

Copying to Halo doesn’t sound like the best idea

The creator of Project Misriah, Froddoyo, made the news public through a message on Twitter, where he included an image of the DMCA notification. According to the claim, the unauthorized use of content from the Halo game in an unassociated workshop infringed Microsoft’s rights. Therefore, Valve proceeded with the temporary removal of the mod posts on Steam.

The controversy has raised concerns in the modding community, which fears that this precedent could affect other Steam packages, such as those for Left 4 Dead 2 and Garry’s Mod. A fellow modder, Valkyries733, warned that this case could set a precedent that might lead to more removals of similar content on the platform. Although the Project Misriah team could, in theory, file a counterclaim if they believe their work does not infringe copyright, it seems that this option is not in their plans.

Despite the removal of the mod, several players have expressed their appreciation for the work done. Morgan Park, who tried Project Misriah, stated that it was an impressive recreation of Halo’s multiplayer, highlighting the quality of the map design and the fun it provided. “It’s a delight, evocative of the source material and genuinely fun,” commented Park.

The community of players and modders continues to closely monitor the situation, wondering how this action by Microsoft could impact the future of fan-created content on various platforms.

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S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2 is removed from Steam due to a legal licensing issue

GSC Game World, the developer behind the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise, has sued Maewing for intellectual property infringement related to its game Misery. This title, which was released on October 23 and achieved considerable success on Steam, was removed from the platform after receiving a DMCA notice. The Ukrainian company claims that Misery uses prototypical elements from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl series. Neither vodka nor guitars Maewing, responsible for creating Misery, strongly denied the accusations and stated that their game has no relation to Chernobyl or GSC’s titles. In […]

GSC Game World, the developer behind the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. franchise, has sued Maewing for intellectual property infringement related to its game Misery. This title, which was released on October 23 and achieved considerable success on Steam, was removed from the platform after receiving a DMCA notice. The Ukrainian company claims that Misery uses prototypical elements from the S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2: Heart of Chornobyl series.

Neither vodka nor guitars

Maewing, responsible for the creation of Misery, strongly denied the accusations and stated that his game has no relation to Chernobyl or the titles from GSC. In multiple statements, the developer assured that all the resources used in Misery are original or have legal licenses, arguing that there should be no copyright over general cultural elements such as Soviet buildings or abandoned places. However, Valve, the digital distribution platform, presented visual evidence suggesting significant similarities between Misery and S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2.

The controversy escalated when offensive messages from Maewing were leaked in a Discord channel, generating a negative reaction in the community. The developer publicly apologized, stating that his past comments were inappropriate and do not reflect his current stance. Despite the game’s removal, Maewing remained optimistic about resolving the situation and expressed his intention to continue developing Misery.

Some users on Reddit have begun to speculate about the possibility that Misery has reused resources from S.T.A.L.K.E.R. 2, which could explain GSC Game World’s strong legal action. Moreover, some suggest that the tension could have a political background related to the invasion of Ukraine, given that there has been mention of alleged support from Maewing to Russia. So far, GSC Game World has not commented on the progress of its lawsuit or the possibility of Misery returning to the platform.

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Battlefield 6 has not been officially announced yet and is already being massively leaked

EA has opted for a more relaxed approach regarding the leaks of the yet-to-be-announced Battlefield 6, unlike the usual aggressive process of issuing DMCA takedowns to remove leaked content. Over the past few months, numerous alpha test leaks of the game have emerged, and while many attempts to upload this content have been blocked by the company’s lawyers, other clips and screenshots have circulated freely on platforms like Reddit and Twitter. All the leaked material gives us a very explicit picture of what to expect. The first leaked materials have revealed a visual style reminiscent of Battlefield […]

EA has opted for a more relaxed approach regarding the leaks of the yet-to-be-announced Battlefield 6, unlike the usual aggressive process of issuing DMCA takedowns to remove leaked content. In recent months, numerous alpha test leaks of the game have emerged, and while many attempts to upload this content have been blocked by the company’s lawyers, other clips and screenshots have circulated freely on platforms like Reddit and Twitter.

All the filtered material gives us a very explicit picture of what to expect

The first leaked materials have revealed a visual aspect reminiscent of Battlefield 2042, although with a more classic aesthetic. Environmental destruction, a hallmark of the franchise, remains a strong appeal in Battlefield 6. However, the destruction mechanics seem to be more aligned with those of Bad Company, showcasing a square destruction design that could disappoint those longing for total freedom in demolishing the environment.

A hot topic has been the new class system, which has generated mixed opinions among fans. In this new approach, any class will be able to use any weapon, but the use of specific weaponry will be encouraged to obtain passive bonuses. This has sparked a request among players to return to the class-locked weapon system, similar to that of Battlefield 4, evoking nostalgia for a more structured design in gameplay.

The voices in the community are clearly divided. While some enthusiastically welcome the flexibility of the new system, others see it as an unwanted departure from the features that defined the series. Players have begun to pressure DICE to listen to their desire to return to the classic formula, a reflection of how the expectations of a passionate player base can influence the development of the franchise.

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The creator of the Baldur's Gate 3 mod for Stardew Valley is grateful to the director of Larian Studios

The mod Baldur’s Village, which incorporates characters and elements from Baldur’s Gate 3 into the popular life simulator Stardew Valley, has had a tumultuous path since its release in March 2023. After receiving praise from both players and key figures in the industry, including Larian Studios director Swen Vincke, the mod faced a significant hurdle when Wizards of the Coast issued a copyright takedown request, sparking frustration in the community. Support that made it easier to move forward The mod developer, known as XunHe1145, recently announced […]

The Baldur’s Village mod, which incorporates characters and elements from Baldur’s Gate 3 into the popular life simulator Stardew Valley, has had a tumultuous journey since its release in March 2023. After receiving praise from both players and key figures in the industry, including Larian Studios’ director, Swen Vincke, the mod faced a significant hurdle when Wizards of the Coast issued a copyright takedown request, sparking frustration within the community.

Support that made it easier to move forward

The mod developer, known as XunHe1145, recently announced that the situation has been “completely clarified and resolved”. In a statement shared through the X platform, XunHe1145 expressed gratitude to Larian Studios and the community for their support during this contentious period. “On the same day we received the takedown notice, we had completed the Ten Hearts event for Astarion, which was scheduled for the next update,” he commented, adding that progress can now be made on the updates that had been halted.

Although the development of the mod has resumed and an update is anticipated that will include bug fixes and the mentioned event, the controversy highlighted the complications surrounding the use of DMCA requests. While it is acknowledged that Wizards of the Coast has handled the situation appropriately by retracting their initial action, a debate persists about how easily these requests can be issued arbitrarily.

Despite the challenges, XunHe1145 committed to continue refining the mod’s content and thanked the support received throughout the process. “Every update is a gift that we are grateful for, and we will not forget it,” he concluded, expressing hopes that the collaborative approach between creators and companies continues in the future.

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Wizards of the Coast asks for a Stardew Valley mod for Baldur's Gate 3 to be removed… only to backtrack shortly after

A new mod called Baldur’s Village for Stardew Valley has generated a stir in the gaming community by adding more than 20 characters from Baldur’s Gate 3. This mod received approval from Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke, who emphasized the value of fan mods as a positive form of promotion. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Wizards of the Coast decided to remove the mod from the internet, which was later acknowledged as a mistake by the company itself. A removal that happened “by mistake” In a statement to PC Gamer, a spokesperson […]

A new mod called Baldur’s Village for Stardew Valley has generated a stir in the gaming community by adding more than 20 characters from Baldur’s Gate 3. This mod received approval from Larian Studios CEO Swen Vincke, who emphasized the value of fan mods as a positive form of promotion. However, the situation took an unexpected turn when Wizards of the Coast decided to remove the mod from the internet, which was later acknowledged as a mistake by the company itself.

A deletion that occurred “by mistake”

In a statement to PC Gamer, a WotC spokesperson said: “The removal of Baldur’s Village through DMCA was issued in error, we are very sorry for what happened. We are in the process of correcting it so that fans and the Stardew community can continue to enjoy this great mod.” This outcome was met with relief by players, especially after the controversy that arose earlier due to changes in D&D’s licensing policies, which had already affected the company’s reputation.

Vincke has expressed his opinion on the subject on several occasions, emphasizing that quality mods enhance the visibility and impact of their characters in other franchises. “They should not be treated as commercial efforts that infringe on your property,” he stated in a tweet, adding that he trusts WotC will handle the matter with the respect that the fan community deserves.

Despite not having direct control over the rights to Baldur’s Gate, Vincke recalled in 2024 that the characters are important to the community. WotC’s decision to take legal action against a fan-created mod, although they later referred to it as a “mistake,” raises questions about the respectful treatment of intellectual property owners towards their followers.

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GTA 5 had an incredible MOD but right now is no more

Take-Two continues to go after GTA 5 mod creators, this time taking down the most popular mod of recent times.

By now, it should come as no surprise that Take-Two is not a fan of mods. Anything that threatens their intellectual property is something they frown upon, and they don’t hesitate to send their lawyers in that direction. This sentiment was echoed by the community this week when a scenario of recreating GTA 5’s map in Fortnite was not publicly released, and now, it has been proven true. Creating mods for GTA 5 can now be considered a risky endeavor.

Just a week ago, a creator named Bloc released a mod called “Sentient Streets.” This mod allowed players to interact with NPCs through their microphone, as over twenty different AI entities enabled real-time responses. Each NPC had a distinct personality and responded with varying tones based on player behavior and the situation. Despite the typical limitations of such mods — where characters don’t contribute much to the narrative beyond making them feel more human — this mod had been gaining popularity over the past few days.

This prompted Take-Two to take action, sending multiple copyright claims to Bloc’s channels on both YouTube and NexusMods. As a result, the creator himself decided to remove the mod and all related content, fearing more drastic actions from Take-Two.

In an update on his YouTube channel, Bloc wrote, “YouTube removed the videos immediately without giving me a chance to explain,” and “at this time, the Nexus Mods version has been taken down due to a DMCA takedown request by Take-Two Interactive.” This led him to take similar action with the GTA5 Mods version, aiming to avoid potential legal issues. After all, the YouTube claim could result in his channel being demonetized for three months.

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In response to all of this, Bloc has understandably expressed his frustration. He stated that “instead of going after small mods, they should focus on creating decent remakes with better pricing policies.” He pointed out how Rockstar Games itself stated in 2022 that “we have always believed in fans’ reasonable creativity and want creators to showcase their passion for our games.” As Bloc rightly highlights, this sentiment doesn’t seem to be reflected in their constant legal attacks against anyone who stands out even a bit in the GTA 5 modding scene.

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