“There’s really no way of telling…”: Hidetaka Miyazaki on FromSoft’s Most Hated Game That Made Elden Ring Nightreign Possible

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The universe of Souls series consistently evolves while preserving its essential elements, largely due to Hidetaka Miyazaki overseeing almost the entire franchise since its beginning. However, there’s an exception – Dark Souls 2, which was led by Tomohiro Shibuya and Yui Tanimura in development. Despite not being warmly received by the community, it provided valuable insights for future projects.

The future has arrived; after many years, the ownership of a Soul’s title has been passed on to someone new. Introduced today is Elden Ring Nightreign, a cooperative survival game led by Junya Ishizaki, and it’s also a spin-off of Hidetaka Miyazaki’s most successful title from 2022.

Elden Ring Nightreign becomes another Souls game not directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki

As a gamer, I’ll never tire of the unique worlds crafted by Hidetaka Miyazaki. While I appreciate his singular vision, I do believe it’s beneficial to explore different perspectives and ideas from time to time. And luckily, that’s something he also values.

During an interview with IGN, Miyazaki expressed that a change in direction, as seen with Dark Souls 2, can significantly impact the game. This observation appears to hold true for Elden Ring Nightreign too.

Without Dark Souls 2, our discussions likely wouldn’t have taken the unique direction they did, as it provided us with fresh perspectives, novel ideas, and unexpected connections. It’s hard to say for certain, but it’s possible that the series might not have developed in the same way without it.

In reference to the Dark Souls trilogy, the director shares an insight about the impact of its unique development process. Initially, opinions were divided when it was first released, but the multi-director approach taught them a valuable lesson internally. This structure fostered the creation of innovative concepts and ‘links’ that might not have been explored under different leadership.

Advancing these novel concepts paves the way for groundbreaking and creative updates in level structures and gameplay mechanics, which could revolutionize the gaming experience for all time. According to the esteemed director, it’s plausible that the climactic conclusion to the Dark Souls series might not have transpired without the events of the second title.

Elden Ring Nightreign is here to set itself apart

Frankly speaking, Elden Ring Nightreign represents something of a roll of the dice for FromSoftware. Since they are venturing into the realm of multiplayer gaming for the very first time, there’s a significant risk that it may not meet the high expectations of both the lead developers and the fans.

Currently, things are looking quite promising. For every hint of uncertainty, there’s twice the enthusiasm from players. With the game being released today, May 30th, it seems like everyone is no longer waiting and diving headfirst into the world of Limveld, a realm situated in a parallel universe to the original Elden Ring.

The game’s appeal lies in its ability to introduce players to the Souls series universe for the first time. Being a multiplayer game, “Nightreign” is expected to strike a chord with contemporary gamers, thereby expanding FromSoftware’s fan base, which includes both new and loyal followers of their work.

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2025-05-30 22:45