How Dark Souls 2 Shaped Elden Ring: Miyazaki’s Surprising Reflection

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Hidetaka Miyazaki, from the creative mind at FromSoftware, views Dark Souls 2 as a significant and impactful project in their portfolio, as it paved the way for their subsequent masterpieces like Elden Ring. This Japanese studio has been on a roll, delivering hit after hit. In the year 2022, they unveiled the critically praised Elden Ring, a game that redefined the structure of soulslike games by offering an expansive open-world for players to traverse, departing from the linear progression found in games such as Dark Souls and Bloodborne. A year prior, they released the widely appreciated Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

Currently, the studio is preparing for the launch of “Elden Ring Nightreign”. This independent production takes place within the universe of “Elden Ring”, but offers a distinct perspective, in both narrative and gameplay aspects. In

FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki Considers Dark Souls 2 A “Great Project”

The Developer Mentions How The Game Established Connections For Future Titles

Reflecting on our studio’s past, I, as a follower, am sharing insights from our president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, who recently discussed the genesis of Elden Ring during an interview with Matt Kim from IGN. In this conversation, Miyazaki delved into Dark Souls 2, one of our most divisive games. Directed by Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura under Miyazaki’s supervision, the project received both praise and criticism. While it was generally well-received, there were many criticisms leveled at its heightened difficulty and alterations to combat.

Miyazaki remarks that Dark Souls 2 was a fantastic undertaking for the team, and he believes that without it, many of the connections and ideas that shaped the rest of the series might not have been possible. Regardless of how Dark Souls 2 is perceived relative to other FromSoftware soulslike games, it remains well-appreciated by most Souls fans, who frequently commend its challenging difficulty and design elements.

Speaking as a passionate filmgoer, I’d rephrase it like this: Just like Elden Ring, Dark Souls 2, as IGN puts it, deviates from the conventional linear storytelling of the series and provides players with a more immersive open-world experience. During an interview, Hidetaka Miyazaki admitted that his role as a supervisor in Dark Souls 2 didn’t quite sit right with him due to his preference for directing: “I find the supervisor role is perhaps not something I’m accustomed to and might not be my ideal fit.

Dark Souls 2 Laid The Foundation For Elden Ring & Nightreign

The Game’s Unique Creative Design Choices Opened Up Avenues For FromSoftware

Beyond Miyazaki’s personal fondness for the game, Dark Souls 2 significantly influenced the evolution of FromSoftware, culminating in the development of Elden Ring. In his words, “we were able to explore new directorial directions and generate unique ideas that we may not have otherwise considered.” The parallels between these two games suggest that FromSoftware built upon the concepts of Dark Souls 2 to create Elden Ring.

Miyazaki, who usually takes on the director role for many of FromSoftware’s games, found it comfortable to step back from Dark Souls 2 and let the studio work on other projects. As he said in an interview with IGN, “it’s very likely that we’ll see new directors going forward.” True to his words, Elden Ring Nightreign, although not a typical soulslike game, will not be directed by Miyazaki. Instead, it is being led by Junya Ishizaki.

According to Miyazaki, if we follow through with that plan, he prefers to relinquish the supervisory role and let them take charge and have complete control over the projects. He believes this approach is optimal for their growth in that setting, particularly with the new projects at hand. However, it’s important to note that he won’t completely abandon his position as a game director at FromSoftware. Interestingly, Miyazaki will be directing an exclusive title for Nintendo Switch 2, titled “The Duskbloods.

As a die-hard fan of the soulslike genre, I’m incredibly excited about this new PvPvE game, The Duskbloods. While it might share some resemblance to the legendary Bloodborne, it’s not a sequel. However, it does seem like a nod to that 2015 PlayStation 4 exclusive.

This game is undeniably its own unique entity, but if Hidetaka Miyazaki’s words are any indication, it feels like the evolutionary step FromSoftware was destined to take after Nightreign and The Duskbloods. This creative leap, as intriguing as it is, appears to be a direct result of the diverse inspirations that sprang from the release of Dark Souls 2, even though it remains a subject of debate among some fans.

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2025-05-28 02:20