For all the excitement behind the eventual Elden Ring, all of the hype leading up to the Demon’s Souls Remake, and alongside the Souls-like creations from other developers, many fans of FromSoftware are curious about one game in particular–Dark Souls 4. With that in mind, there have been so many well-received FromSoftware titles, but so far within the Souls-like genre, only one entry has turned into a series: Dark Souls.
The other games, like Sekiro and Bloodborne, are one-off creations (thus far) by the Japanese developer, while the first three Dark Souls games are highly regarded and well-loved, which is why fans are eagerly awaiting a possible fourth iteration. Of course, while it’s not impossible it would revisit Dark Souls, there’s a high probably that FromSoftware would focus its attentions on turning one of these other games into a series. This does beg the question, though: with its self-created competition, would a possible Dark Souls 4 be overshadowed?
The Demon’s Souls Remake is something that looks eye-popping, as the latest gameplay footage makes the 2009 title seem like perhaps the most “next-gen” game yet. With Dark Souls basically taking over the Souls-like games for such a long time, some wondered if Demon’s Souls would ever get its day in the sun again. But now that the remake is headed to the PS5 in just a couple months, it is reminding many of why it was so beloved.
The anticipation leading up to Elden Ring, meanwhile, is off the carts (the game that is being worked on in partnership with George R.R. Martin), and some even think that Elden Ring could dethrone the other Souls-like games from FromSoftware. It has the opportunity to expand on the formula of the games with open-world elements and a more expansive story, after all. The world-building of the Souls-like games have always been remarkable, but the narrative should only improve with the help of someone like George R.R. Martin. Between the upcoming FromSoftware games, it’s easy to wonder if a Dark Souls 4 would be eclipsed.
As previously mentioned, Dark Souls is the series that FromSoftware has chosen to support beyond a single entry. But that doesn’t mean that other games won’t see sequels at some point. Bloodborne 2 is the most probable new sequel, as rumors of the game have flooded the internet for months. Bloodborne is the highest-rated Souls-like on Metacritic, and an announcement for a sequel could break social media and blow the roof off of an auditorium in an E3-like setting.
Meanwhile, Sekiro could one day get a sequel, and given that Demon’s Souls is getting a remaster, FromSoftware could be setting itself up for a new sequel there. It’s possible that a game like Sekiro will be left as a one-off, but many anticipate sequels to these FromSoftware hits. And it would seem like a missed opportunity if these didn’t eventually manifest.
It’s not a surprise that copycats of Dark Souls have appeared, both from Indies and from larger developers. Fans have gravitated so strongly to FromSoftware’s games that naturally other developers will want a piece of the pie or artistically attempt the genre with their own approach. The positive of this is that fans get to enjoy the likes of Nioh, Mortal Shell, Remnant From The Ashes, Salt and Sanctuary, Lords of the Fallen, and more. It has gotten to the point that it almost seems like a solid Souls-like game is released every few months.
In the end, many fans are dying for Dark Souls 4, but others think it isn’t needed. The trilogy that is Dark Souls feels like it could be at a perfect place without a fourth entry, even if it would probably be as well-received, if not better, on next-gen consoles. But even if FromSoftware were to announce Dark Souls 4, it suddenly would be competing with dozens of indies, copycats, its own remasters and possible upcoming sequels, and highly anticipated games like Elden Ring. In other words, the competitive landscape is far different than when the first Dark Souls launched, and that’s almost wholly due to Dark Souls itself.
Elden Ring is in development.
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