Elden Ring is an action role-playing game from developer FromSoftware that has won numerous accolades, sold over 25 million copies, and continues to attract thousands of players nearly three years after its launch. The studio released Shadow of the Erdtree, the long-awaited story expansion for the game, earlier this year. But FromSoftware has no plans to release a sequel following the game’s success. The Japanese developer is reportedly focusing on several other projects.
Hayao Miyazaki talks about the future of “Elden Ring” IP
FromSoftware president and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki shed some light on the future of the Elden Ring IP on Tuesday. According to IGN Japan (translated from Japanese), Miyazaki told the media at the PlayStation Partner Awards 2024 Japan Asia event on December 3: “We don’t have any specific plans for Elden Ring 2.”
However, the game director has left the door open in some form for future media productions within the Elden Ring IP. “I want to tell you that we do not rule out developing the IP “Elden Ring” in some form in the future,” Miyazaki said.
His comments echoed those of fantasy author George R.R. Martin, who helped create the world of “Elden Ring.” Back in July, Martin revealed the possibility of adapting the game into a movie or TV series. “Oh, and about those rumors you may have heard about an ELDEN RING feature film or TV series…I have nothing to say,” Martin said on his blog. “Not a word, not a thing, I don’t know anything, you never heard my voice, mommy mommy. What rumors?”
Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree nominated for Game of the Year at the 2024 Game Awards
Photo credit: Bandai Namco/FromSoftware
FromSoftware is working on multiple projects
While FromSoftware, the maker of critically acclaimed games such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, has no plans to make Elden Ring 2 yet, the studio is currently working on a few different projects. “I can’t talk about any unpublished work, but I’m currently working on several projects at FromSoftware,” Miyazaki said. “There are many types, so I hope everyone will look forward to it.”
According to reports, some of the projects currently in development at FromSoftware are directed by Miyazaki himself, while others are being handled by other staff at the studio. The developer has yet to reveal details about its next game.
FromSoftware has a stable of IPs, and its next game could be a sequel to Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Armored Core, or Sekiro. The studio may also work on developing entirely new IP. Fans have long been calling for a Bloodborne remake or remaster to update the PS5 game and potentially bring it to PC. However, the Bloodborne IP belongs to publisher Sony, which has remained silent on repeated requests for a sequel or remaster.
However, it’s not far-fetched to speculate that one of the multiple projects currently in development at FromSoftware could be a Bloodborne remaster for PS5 and PC. In fact, Sony recently unveiled a video commemorating PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, which compiles footage from various games on the PlayStation console over the years, including a clip from Bloodborne with the cheeky title “It’s about persistence.” And Bloodborne fans, eagerly awaiting any news about a remake or sequel, are nothing if not persistent.
Sony’s relationship with FromSoftware may also deepen in the future, with Reuters reporting last month that the Japanese tech and entertainment giant was in talks to acquire the developer’s parent company Kadokawa. After the report was released, Kadokawa confirmed that it had received an acquisition offer from Sony.
FromSoftware confirmed in June (just before Shadow of the Erdtree launched) that Elden Ring, which won Game of the Year at the 2022 Game Awards, had sold more than 25 million copies worldwide. The Story DLC is the first and last major expansion pack for Elden Ring, and it received widespread critical acclaim upon release. Last month, Shadow of the Erdtree became the first expansion pack to be nominated for Game of the Year at the 2024 Game Awards.