Summary
The future looks brighter than ever forFromSoftware. The famed Japanese studio has produced hit after hit, building a reputation as one of the most reliable and influential companies in the gaming industry. EachFromSoftware game is highly ratedby fans and critics alike, but it’s worth wondering if the developer can keep the momentum going in the years to come.
Despite the success ofArmored Core 6: Fires of Rubiconthis year, it’s clear that FromSoftware is best known for theDark Soulsfranchise and its spin-offs, primarilyElden Ring. These action RPGs are defined by their strong, singular sense of tone, brutal difficulty, and vague, suggestive storytelling. While theDark Soulstrilogy, originally birthed fromDemon’s Soulson the PS3, was always relatively successful, FromSoftware expanded its influence with titles likeBloodborneandSekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This collection of games culminated inElden Ring, which reached a wider audience than any of FromSoftware’s previous releases and is often consideredthe best Souls-style game. However, the success ofElden Ringcould be a double-edged sword for FromSoftware.
RELATED:Demon’s Souls Started a Trend with the Storm King that FromSoftware Refuses Abandon
Elden Ring Left Some Big Shoes to Fill
FromSoftwaretook a slight detour this year with the latestArmored Coregame, but it’s likely that more open-ended action-RPGs in the vein ofDark Soulswill continue to be the studio’s bread and butter moving forward. FromSoftware has refined and remixed theDark Soulsformula several times over the years, and the results have been almost universally praised. WithElden Ring, the studio reached new heights, but new heights are always harder to summit.
Elden Ringmanaged to incorporate many of the best elements of theSoulsgames, alongsideSekiroandBloodborne, and while there areareas where it can improve, many consider it FromSoftware’s peak. The game is arguably most similar toDark Souls, with similar combat fundamentals and a high-fantasy setting, but it offers a vastly greater scope than those games, in terms of both literal map size, build variety, and more. Other elements, like enemy design, music, and combat mechanics, are familiar toDark Soulsfans, but polished to a brilliant sheen.
So, ifElden Ringis essentially a “better” version ofDark Soulsin the eyes of many players, then FromSoftware has some incredibly high expectations to satisfy with its future releases. IfDark Souls 4, for example, were to be released next year, many gamers would want it to matchElden Ring’s scale, breadth, and general cultural impact. FromSoftwarethrew the kitchen sink atElden Ring, and it, in some ways, madeDark Souls,Bloodborne, andSekiro: Shadows Die Twicelook quaint by comparison.
With all that being said, if any studio could defy expectations, it’s FromSoftware.Elden Ringtook the world by storm, alluring an untapped market of gamers with its uncanny charm and demanding combat, and wound up becoming a phenomenon that no one saw coming. Also, whileElden Ringmay have mass appeal, its predecessors still have plenty to offer;Dark Soulshas a curated, impeccable atmosphere aided by its linear nature,Bloodborneoffers a one-of-a-kind setting and lore, andSekirohas a more digestible story, alongside arguably the best combat system of any FromSoftware game. FromSoftware could build its future games around one of these strengths, rather than try to compete with whatElden Ringhas to offer.
Of course,Elden Ringis an extremely impressive game, the likes of which the gaming industry has not seen before or sense, so it wouldn’t be surprising to see comparisons being drawn between it and FromSoftware’s future games, especially those following theSoulsformula. However, fans have argued that earlier games,likeDark Souls 3orSekiro, were the peak of theFromSoftwareoutput beforeElden Ring, so its worth waiting to see if the studio can offer more surprises in the future.
MORE:How Armored Core 6 Takes FromSoftware’s Signature Replayability to a Whole New Level
