The Legacy of FromSoftware: How Demon’s Souls Shaped ‘Soulslike’ Games

(Image credit: FromSoftware)

Since its debut in 2009, Demon’s Souls has firmly established FromSoftware as the powerhouse behind the ‘Soulslike’ genre, known for its intricate exploration and character development set against a backdrop of punishing combat that often leaves players gasping. However, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the visionary director behind many of these titles, doesn’t fully embrace the recognition. In a candid discussion with Game Informer, he reflected on the origins of the term ‘Soulslike,’ suggesting that FromSoftware simply tapped into a pre-existing desire among gamers. “I know we’ve been credited [with inventing the term ‘Soulslike’], but in terms of game design, this idea of having death and learning as part of the core game cycle is something that the gaming audience was perhaps ready for,” he remarked. “But there just wasn’t the perfect answer for that appetite just yet.”

Initially focused on the Armored Core series, Miyazaki pushed to transition to the untested waters of Demon’s Souls, a project that was met with skepticism by company higher-ups. Drawing inspiration from King’s Field, another action-RPG lineage developed by FromSoftware in the ’90s, he melded those ideas with persistent online interactions and introduced the punishing yet rewarding mechanic of losing your ‘souls’ upon death—only to have to return to retrieve them.

This concept laid the groundwork for the entire SoulsBorne lineage, which includes not just Demon’s Souls and Dark Souls but also the numerous subsequent titles that continued to refine the formula. “What we discovered is it is okay to make games with death as part of its core gameplay loop, and our answer happened to land and resonate with various audiences,” he explained. “I don’t necessarily think it’s a new invention, per se; it was more the FromSoftware DNA and our game design overlapped with what was perhaps missing from the market.”

Regardless of how one interprets its inception, there’s no denying that FromSoftware’s games have grown increasingly ambitious, characterized by the familiar mixture of triumph and despair as players lose countless souls to unforeseen foes—only to fall again during their journey back against a seemingly weak enemy. “It’s not a Soulslike until you distill such frustration.”

It’s interesting to note that FromSoftware did not partner with Sony on Dark Souls, as the latter dropped the ball on Demon’s Souls, according to a former PlayStation executive. “We definitely dropped the ball,” he said, revealing the fractured history behind those franchises.

From the seeds sown over a decade ago, FromSoftware has cultivated a legacy that continues to challenge and inspire both players and developers alike, keeping the spirit of innovation alive in the gaming landscape.