Elden Ring, the action-RPG phenomenon from developer FromSoftware, has won numerous accolades, sold over 25 million copies and has continued to attract thousands of players nearly three years after its launch. The studio released a long-awaited story expansion to the game, Shadow of the Erdtree, earlier this year. But FromSoftware has no plans to follow-up the game's success with a sequel. The Japanese developer is instead reportedly focussing on several other projects.
Miyazaki on Future of Elden Ring IP
FromSoftware president and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki shed some light on the future of the Elden Ring IP Tuesday. “We don't have any particular plans for Elden Ring 2,” Miyazaki told the press at the PlayStation Partner Awards 2024 Japan Asia event on December 3, IGN Japan reported (translated from Japanese).
The game director, however, left the door open for future pieces of media within the Elden Ring IP in some form. “I would like to tell you that we are not ruling out the development of the IP ‘Elden Ring' in some form in the future,” Miyazaki said.
His comments echo the sentiments of fantasy writer George RR Martin, who helped build the world of Elden Ring. Back in July, Martin had teased the possibility of a film or TV adaptation of the game. “Oh, and about those rumors you may have heard about a feature film or television series based on ELDEN RING… I have nothing to say,” Martin had said in his blog. “Not a word, nope, not a thing, I know nothing, you never heard a peep from me, mum mum mum. What rumor?”
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree has been nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024
Photo Credit: Bandai Namco/ FromSoftware
FromSoftware Working on Several Projects
While FromSoftware, maker of acclaimed titles like Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, has no immediate plans for Elden Ring 2, the studio is currently working on several different projects. “I can't talk about any unpublished work, but I do have several projects currently underway at FromSoftware,” Miyazaki said. “There are a variety of genres, so I hope you can look forward to it.”
According to the report, some of the projects currently in development at FromSoftware are being directed by Miyazaki himself, while others are being helmed by other staff members at the studio. The developer has not yet shared details about its next game.
FromSoftware has a healthy stable of IPs and its next game could be a sequel to Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, Armoured Core or Sekiro. The studio could also be working on brand-new IPs, as well. Fans have long been clamouring for a Bloodborne remake or remaster that updates the game for PS5 and possibly brings it to PC. The Bloodborne IP, however, belongs to publisher Sony, which has kept mum over repeated demands for a sequel or a remaster.
It's not far-fetched, however, to speculate that one of FromSoftware's multiple projects currently in development could be a Bloodborne remaster for PS5 and PC. In fact, Sony ended its recent video marking the 30th anniversary of PlayStation, that compiles footage from various games on PlayStation consoles over the years, with a clip from Bloodborne, with the caption cheekily reading “It's about persistence.” And Bloodborne fans, who eagerly await any news on a remaster or a sequel, are nothing if not persistent.
Sony's relationship with FromSoftware might deepen in the future, as well, with Reuters reporting last month that the Japanese technology and entertainment giant was in talks to acquire Kadokawa, the parent company of the developer. Following the report, Kadokawa Corporation confirmed it had received a buyout offer from Sony.
Elden Ring, which won Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022 has sold over 25 million copies worldwide, FromSoftware had confirmed in June, just ahead of the launch of Shadow of the Erdtree. The story DLC, the first and last major expansion for Elden Ring, received widespread critical acclaim at launch. Last month, Shadow of the Erdtree became the first expansion ever to be nominated for Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2024.
