Dark Souls 3 is a ‘turning point’ that could lead to drastic change for the series

By Danny Cowan August 10, 2015

dark souls 3 turning point for series ds3 header — Image used with permission by copyright holder

From Software’s upcoming action-RPG Dark Souls 3 could herald a period of significant and lasting change for the series, creator and studio president Hidetaka Miyazaki told GameSpot this week.

When questioned regarding the future of the franchise, Miyazaki described the upcoming sequel as a “turning point” for all Souls games going forward.

“Dark Souls is my life’s work,” Miyazaki stated. “Everything I came up with for Dark Souls 3 is based on my personal preferences. However, Dark Souls 3 is also actually the turning point for the franchise.”

When questioned regarding potential genre shifts, the From Software president noted that he “definitely wants to bring the Miyazaki Touch” to the sci-fi and mech genres, in particular. GameSpot suggests that Miyazaki might seek to adapt the Souls series formula to these genres, if given the opportunity.

Miyazaki noted that he intends to launch “several new projects” during his tenure as president of From Software, but did not reveal these projects in detail or hint at what genres they might explore.

The Souls series is profitable for From Software, as the company recently announced that it has shipped a combined total of 8.5 million copies of Dark Souls and its sequel. Prior to the release of Dark Souls, the studio produced the PlayStation 3 series predecessor Demon’s Souls and this year’s similarly themed PlayStation 4 exclusive Bloodborne.

Before it began work on the Souls series, From Software explored multiple genres with varied themes. 2003’s hack-and-slash action title Otogi: Myth of Demons steeped its storyline in Japanese history and folklore, while the Japan-exclusive Metal Wolf Chaos put players in control of a future U.S. President out to stop an attempted Vice Presidential coup using a heavily armed mecha suit. From Software also developed the King’s Field series of first-person RPGs, which saw several releases across early PlayStation platforms.

Dark Souls 3 will launch for the Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC platforms in 2016.

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