The quest for a true 60 frames-per-second experience in *Bloodborne* is a saga almost as legendary as the game itself, and the story just took a dramatic, unexpected turn in late 2025. For years, fans have begged Sony and FromSoftware for an official patch to unlock the game’s frame rate, especially since the PlayStation 5 is more than capable of handling the 2015 classic. However, the latest developments have proven that the community's passion remains the only reliable source for this long-desired performance upgrade, even as legal challenges threaten to erase years of modding work.
As of December 2025, the landscape for playing *Bloodborne* at a smooth 60 FPS has been completely reshaped. While the official channel remains silent—leaving the game locked at its original 30 FPS on PS5—a recent, highly-publicized DMCA takedown has ironically brought the unofficial patch back into the spotlight, while PC emulation has quietly delivered the ultimate performance solution. This is the definitive, up-to-the-minute breakdown of where the *Bloodborne* 60 FPS patch stands, and how you can finally experience Yharnam in its true, silky-smooth glory.
The Shocking DMCA Takedown: Sony vs. The Fan-Made Patch
The most significant and recent update in the *Bloodborne* 60 FPS story involves the creator of the most famous fan-made patch, modder Lance McDonald. McDonald, a celebrated figure in the FromSoftware community for his work on uncovering hidden content and technical details in titles like *Dark Souls 3* and *Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice*, released his unofficial 60 FPS patch for *Bloodborne* back in February 2021.
Why the Patch Was So Important
McDonald's patch was a technical marvel that essentially uncapped the frame rate, allowing the game to run at a stable 60 FPS on modified PlayStation 4 Pro consoles and, crucially, on the PlayStation 5 via backwards compatibility. This mod dramatically improved the combat responsiveness, the fluidity of movement, and the overall feel of the game, transforming the experience for countless Hunters. It became the de facto standard for anyone willing to venture into the world of console modding to achieve the ultimate *Bloodborne* performance.
The January 2025 Legal Action
In a move that stunned the community, Sony Interactive Entertainment issued a DMCA takedown notice against Lance McDonald’s patch in January 2025. This action came more than four years after the patch’s initial release, leading to widespread speculation and outrage among fans. The timing—so close to the game's 10th anniversary—was particularly frustrating for players who see the lack of an official performance update as a persistent oversight.
While the exact legal reasoning remains private, the prevailing theory is that the DMCA was a preemptive move to protect the intellectual property rights of the game, perhaps hinting at a future official release. However, for the time being, the takedown has made the patch files harder to distribute and access, effectively shutting down the most popular public method for achieving 60 FPS on a console.
The Current State of 60 FPS Performance on Console and PC
Despite the DMCA controversy, the dream of a high-frame-rate *Bloodborne* is far from dead. The community has pivoted, and two distinct paths now exist for players seeking a performance boost: the highly technical console route and the surprisingly accessible PC emulation route.
PlayStation 5: Still Locked, But Smooth
Officially, *Bloodborne* remains locked at 30 FPS on the PlayStation 5. The good news is that the PS5’s superior hardware provides a rock-solid, stable frame rate, eliminating the dips and stuttering that plagued the game on the base PS4. While this stability is a welcome improvement, it is not the 60 FPS experience fans crave. To truly unlock the frame rate on a PS5, players would still need a console running a specific, mod-capable firmware, and the installation process is complex and carries inherent risks.
The perpetual hope remains for an official PS5 performance patch or a full Bloodborne Remaster to be announced, possibly to coincide with the game’s 10th anniversary celebrations in 2025. Sony’s DMCA action could be interpreted as clearing the decks for an official announcement, but for now, the wait continues.
The PC Emulation Breakthrough: 4K 60 FPS is a Reality
The most stable, accessible, and high-fidelity way to play *Bloodborne* at 60 FPS today is through PC emulation. Thanks to recent, continuous updates to PlayStation 4 emulators like ShadPS4, the game is now running with incredible stability and visual clarity.
The latest breakthroughs mean that *Bloodborne* can be played at a stable 60 FPS, even on mid-range PCs with as little as a 4GB VRAM graphics card. Furthermore, high-end PC users are reporting a consistent 4K resolution at 60 FPS, a level of performance that surpasses even the modded PS5 experience in both frame rate and visual quality, with all particle effects working correctly. This is a massive win for the community, effectively acting as the unofficial Bloodborne PC Port that fans have long dreamed of. The emulator environment allows for the implementation of the 60 FPS code without the need for a modified console, side-stepping the recent DMCA issues entirely.
Topical Authority: The Technical Details of the Uncapped Frame Rate
Understanding why *Bloodborne* was initially locked at 30 FPS, and how the patch works, is key to appreciating the technical achievement. The original PS4 hardware struggled to maintain a consistent 30 FPS in graphically intensive areas of Yharnam, often dipping into the low 20s. The frame rate cap was a design choice to ensure playability on the base console.
- The Core Hack: The unofficial 60 FPS patch works by modifying a single line of code that sets the frame rate limit. Lance McDonald discovered that the game's engine, a variation of the one used in *Dark Souls 3*, was capable of running at a higher frame rate.
- PS5 Performance Boost: When running the original 30 FPS game on the PS5, the console’s superior CPU and GPU eliminate the old frame dips, resulting in a much more stable 30 FPS experience. The unofficial patch simply removes the ceiling, allowing the powerful PS5 hardware to push the frame rate up to 60 FPS.
- The Engine Challenge: Unlike modern titles like *Elden Ring* or *Demon's Souls Remake*, *Bloodborne* was not designed with a variable frame rate in mind. Uncapping the frame rate can introduce minor bugs, such as physics issues or animation problems, though McDonald’s patch was highly optimized to minimize these.
The ongoing saga of the *Bloodborne* 60 FPS patch is a testament to the game's enduring legacy and the passion of its fanbase. While the official channel continues to leave the game in its original state, the community's efforts—now channeled through PC emulation—have ensured that the ultimate performance experience of hunting beasts in the gothic city is finally achievable. The DMCA takedown, while frustrating, has only fueled the conversation, keeping the hope for an official Bloodborne Remastered or Bloodborne 2 alive as we mark its 10th anniversary.
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