FromSoftware’s Disappointment: Sony’s Demon’s Souls Handling Exposed!

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Summary

  • FromSoftware chose Bandai Namco to publish Dark Souls due to Sony’s treatment of Demon’s Souls.
  • Despite past issues, Sony respects FromSoftware and Bloodborne, leading to improved relations.
  • Speculation about a Bloodborne rerelease or another project persists, although Sony’s plans remain unclear.

Previously, Shuhei Yoshida, former Sony executive, revealed that FromSoftware’s choice to collaborate with Bandai Namco on “Dark Souls” was influenced by Sony’s management of “Demon’s Souls”. Despite the fact that FromSoftware and Sony have several collaborative projects and “Demon’s Souls” has been heavily promoted in recent PlayStation marketing, it seems their collaboration might have encountered a few initial challenges, providing valuable lessons.

Many gaming enthusiasts find the collaboration between FromSoftware and Sony intriguing, as their jointly developed games such as “Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice” and “Bloodborne” have become blockbuster hits. However, there appears to be a degree of reluctance on both sides when it comes to deeper partnerships. Insights from PlayStation veteran Shuhei Yoshida shed light on the behind-the-scenes negotiations, offering valuable insight into the dynamics between these companies.

According to VGC, in an interview on the Sacred Symbols podcast, Shuhei Yoshida (former Sony Interactive Entertainment president) discussed how Sony’s approach towards Demon’s Souls affected their partnership with FromSoftware. Yoshida mentioned that despite Sony’s desire to collaborate with the developer on the sequel to Demon’s Souls, which later became Dark Souls, Sony’s handling of their work led FromSoft instead choosing Bandai Namco as their next partner.

FromSoft Didn’t Like Sony’s Treatment of Demon’s Souls

In North America, Demon’s Souls was released by Atlus, while in Europe it was Bandai Namco who handled publication. This dual distribution during playtests with Sony may have contributed to the game’s positive reception. Previously, Yoshida shared his thoughts on Demon’s Souls, admitting that despite spending several hours playing, he still found himself back at the beginning of the game, leaving him with a strong initial impression that the game was “incredibly poor.” He later expressed remorse for his and Sony’s earlier decisions regarding the game, expressing gratitude towards its western publishers.

Yoshida expressed great admiration for FromSoftware, considering Bloodborne one of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s top creations. This praise has left many gamers pondering why these two studios haven’t collaborated more extensively since then. Although Japan Studio is no longer in operation, Sony retains the rights to Bloodborne, leading some to speculate that a remaster or re-release could be a logical decision. However, it remains uncertain how Sony plans to handle this intellectual property moving forward. Some have interpreted the presence of Bloodborne and a mention of “persistence” in PlayStation’s 30th-anniversary video as hints at an ongoing project, while others are less optimistic. Nonetheless, it is evident that the relationship between Sony and FromSoft has grown stronger over time.

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2025-02-24 03:04