Japanese video game developer FromSoftware has skyrocketed in success thanks to its current president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, and the popularity of the Dark Souls series. Now that gaming is gearing toward next-generation consoles, FromSoftware is in the midst of developing its most ambitious game yet. Announced way back at the 2019 E3 conference, Elden Ring has been the next highly-anticipated title by FromSoftware. So far, fans have really only had the announcement trailer to tide them over during the long wait for Elden Ring.
However, fans have been able to glean tidbits of information here and there about the project. Right from the start, it was billed as a collaboration between FromSoftware's Hidetaka Miyazaki, as well as George R.R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame. Elden Ring will also be more similar to the Dark Souls games than the studio's recent Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Though Sekiro was well-received by many, it was a departure from the familiarity of the Souls games. Even though it is clear that FromSoftware is being very secretive with Elden Ring, fans can rest assured that the developer has assembled the perfect team to create a new dark fantasy game.
Elden Ring's Game Director: Hidetaka Miyazaki
First up is Elden Ring's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki. While Miyazaki is the current president of FromSoftware, he had humble beginnings. He originally joined the company in 2004 as a game planner for Armored Core: Last Raven, and went on to direct Armored Core 4 and its sequel, Armored Core: For Answer. The Armored Core series is primarily about gigantic mech battles, but helped solidify Miyazaki's place within FromSoftware. Armored Core 4 also had instances of online play, something that would be seen again in the later Souls games. While these early games of Miyazaki's have a sci-fi setting, they no doubt gave him the experience needed to create the iconic Demon's Souls.
Miyazaki was able to take a formerly failing project called Demon's Souls and turn it into a success, which has now been remade so that players can experience Demon's Souls on the PS5. The original game didn't have a direct sequel, but Miyazaki went on to create its spiritual successor in Dark Souls, which was so successful that he was promoted to company president. Under Miyazaki's direction, a whole new genre of high-difficulty, dark fantasy games bloomed. His work on the Souls series led to many viewing him as an auteur of video games, and Dark Souls has gone on to inspire numerous other games around today.
Outside of the universe of Dark Souls, Miyazaki directed both Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Both of these games expanded on the familiar combat and gameplay in the Souls series in new ways, with Bloodborne offering a dark Victorian atmosphere, and Sekiro taking inspiration from Japanese history. Additionally, Miyazaki also directed a 2018 VR game called Deracine. This VR title put players in the role of a faerie trying to solve a mystery at a boarding school, and features darker themes.
All of this experience together positions Hidetaka Miyazaki as a perfect director for a new dark fantasy RPG. If the popularity around FromSoftware's other titles are anything to go by, then players are clamoring for even more from the influential game director. His previous games are rife with heavy themes, grimdark ideologies, and worlds with grandiose histories and lore. Even though Elden Ring's director has stated he doesn't dislike direct storytelling, he prefers to let players interpret the world through flavor text and other indirect methods. Miyazaki has a knack for creating intriguing worlds this way, something which will likely continue in Elden Ring.
Elden Ring's Lore: George R. R. Martin
When Elden Ring was in its concept stages, Miyazaki had the opportunity to reach out to another master storyteller, George R. R. Martin, of whom he was a fan. Martin's involvement in Elden Ring is no small feat. After open discussions between Miyazaki and Martin, the story of Elden Ring was created, and Martin was mainly tasked with creating the history and lore of its world. The mythos created would be used to support the story of the actual game, and will likely be the set up for everything that takes place before the game starts. As the trailer suggests, an artifact known as the Elden Ring was destroyed, which will no doubt play a major role in the plot.
George R. R. Martin is another perfect choice to create a new dark fantasy game. Though he is most known for his work writing the A Song of Ice and Fire saga, Martin was actually a prolific writer long before the series took off, and has been since. He has written novels, short stories, television scripts, and films in a variety of genres. Fantasy, horror, and science fiction are Martin's bread and butter. For example, he wrote a few episodes of The Twilight Zone in 1986, and in 1987 published a collection of horror short stories in Portraits of His Children. For the epic fantasy series that first began with Games of Thrones in 1996, Martin has written dozens of stories within the world, which have spawned multiple adaptations of the franchise.
One of Miyazaki's favorite books from George R. R. Martin is a big reason that FromSoftware sought out the author's involvement. In 1983, Martin wrote Fevre Dream, a vampire novel set on the Mississippi River in the 19th century. Miyazaki, like many other critics, calls Fevre Dream a masterpiece of vampire literature. Of course, FromSoftware's president also loves the A Song of Ice and Fire books, which prove that Martin is not only a exemplary writer, but also a fantastic worldbuilder. Throughout Martin's career, he has won dozens of awards for his writing, and been nominated for numerous more.
Since George R. R. Martin is so familiar with fantasy and horror, he is a perfect fit for a game that takes after the Souls series. Martin has often been credited with the rise of grimdark fantasy, so there is no doubt that he can transfer the genre into a video game world. Martin has been called a master of worldbuilding, and if various leaks are anything to go by, Elden Ring may also incorporate some Celtic and Norse mythological inspirations. Because of the nature of video game development and collaboration, Elden Ring won't be another Winds of Winter scenario, so fans won't have to wait an unknowable amount of time to experience the story.
Elden Ring's Composer: Yuka Kitamura
The final major player in Elden Ring's dream team is none other than Yuka Kitamura. She has a long history of composing FromSoftware games, and will be returning to compose for Elden Ring. Kitamura's complete list of FromSoftware composition credits include Armored Core: Verdict Day, Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, Bloodborne, Deracine, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. Like Miyazaki, she joined FromSoftware to work on the Armored Core series, but soon became a regular feature in its games.
While Kitamura may not be a household name like George R. R. Martin, she is highly talented and has helped elevate FromSoftware's games to new heights. Think of all the times someone has brought up the epic experience of a boss fight in Dark Souls or Bloodborne with the backing soundtrack. Well, Kitamura was likely behind it. She has crafted the main theme for Dark Souls 3, and created several haunting themes for bosses, like with "Ludwig, The Accursed & Holy Blade," or "Rom, The Vacuous Spider." Kitamura knows how to mesh grandiose orchestrations with overpowering choral moments to create an unforgettable experience.
While Yuko Kitamura's work on games like Dark Souls 3 and Bloodborne show she can clearly craft dark fantasy orchestrations, her work on other games like Deracine and Sekiro showcase her versatility. While Kitamura has created calmer themes and more ambient pieces for Souls games, her lilting music box and piano usage in Deracine tracks like "Concert With the Faerie" proves she can make softer themes as well. Especially with Sekiro, which was a whole new thematic environment, Kitamura had to experiment will new instruments and compositions. She didn't want to create just a Japanese-flavored take on her style, and was able to create a unique soundtrack as a result.
Overall, with these three creators at the helm of Elden Ring, players are surely in for a treat. Players will be able to experience engaging gameplay directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, invest in intriguing lore written by George R. R. Martin, and listen to dramatic orchestrations composed by Yuka Kitamura. With all of their combined experience in the fantasy genre, Elden Ring will likely be able to hit all the right notes for players. The hype surrounding Elden Ring is massive, so hopefully it can meet players' expectations. More news will likely come soon, but fans will have to sit tight until then.
Elden Ring is in development.