Dark Souls: A PlayStation “What If”? because Sony being Sony

In the world of video games, few stories are as intriguing as the relationship between FromSoftware and Sony. This tale begins with the release of Demon’s Souls, a game that would later become a cornerstone of the “Soulslike” genre.

However, the journey to that point was fraught with challenges and misunderstandings.

Demon’s Souls was developed by FromSoftware in collaboration with Sony Japan Studio. Initially, it was planned that Sony would publish the game globally. However, due to the game’s high difficulty and negative early playtests, Sony decided not to localize Demon’s Souls for an English language release. Instead, Atlus published the game in North America, and Bandai Namco handled the European release1.

Sony’s Misjudgment

Former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida revealed in an interview with the Sacred Symbols podcast that Sony’s decision not to publish Demon’s Souls globally was a significant misjudgment. Yoshida admitted that he didn’t see the game’s global appeal at the time and even described his initial experience with the game as “unbelievably bad”1. This decision led to a sour relationship between FromSoftware and Sony.

FromSoftware was deeply disappointed by how Sony handled Demon’s Souls. Despite the game’s eventual success, thanks to the efforts of Atlus and Bandai Namco, the developer felt let down by Sony’s lack of faith in the game. This disappointment led FromSoftware to turn down Sony’s offer to work on a sequel to Demon’s Souls.

Instead of working with Sony, FromSoftware decided to partner with Bandai Namco for the development of Dark Souls. This decision proved to be a turning point, as Dark Souls became a massive success and solidified FromSoftware’s reputation as a leading developer in the “Soulslike” genre.

Despite the rocky start, Sony and FromSoftware eventually reconciled. They teamed up once again for the development of Bloodborne, a PS4 exclusive that received critical acclaim. Yoshida expressed his respect for FromSoftware’s president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, and acknowledged that Bloodborne is one of his best games1.

Lessons Learned

The story of FromSoftware and Sony serves as a reminder of the importance of trust and communication in the gaming industry. Sony’s initial misjudgment and FromSoftware’s disappointment highlight the challenges that can arise when expectations are not met. However, the eventual collaboration on Bloodborne shows that redemption is possible, and great things can come from learning from past mistakes.