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Bandai Namco teases 'big' Dark Souls news on Friday, 4/8

What could it be? A remaster of Dark Souls? Confirmation of a new Souls-inspired series? 

David Craddock

April 7, 2016 1:00 PM

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In a tweet posted to its UK Twitter account earlier today, Bandai Namco promised "big" news related to Dark Souls. The news will drop tomorrow, April 8, mere days before Dark Souls 3 releases for PC, PS4, and Xbox One on Tuesday, 4/12.

If you're trying to steer clear of spoilers ahead of the game's launch, rest easy. "The #DarkSouls news won't contain any spoilers," read another tweet posted hot on the heels of the first. "Don't worry, it's not about the game!"

What, then, could the news be? Some possibilities are obvious. From Software and Bandai Namco revealed a season pass back in February, so it stands to reason that tomorrows news could divulge concrete information on areas, bosses, enemies, and release dates for the DLC players have in store. Other suppositions include a remaster of Demon's Souls or (more likely) Dark Souls, something no fan of the series would be quick to turn down.

Confirmation of a sequel is possible, but doubtful. In an interview with GameSpot last November, Dark Souls and Bloodborne director Hidetaka Miyazaki all but closed the book on Souls sequels after the third game. "I don't think it'd be the right choice to continue indefinitely creating Souls and Bloodborne games," Miyazaki said in response to concern from GameSpot over whether players may be suffering from Souls fatigue. After all, Dark Souls 2 launched in March 2014, with Bloodborne following in March 2015 and Dark Souls 3's release under a week away.

Even if Dark Souls 3 breaks critical and commercial records and lures Miyazaki back to the director's chair for a Dark Souls 4 or Bloodborne 2, the third installment in the developer's hit franchise already marks the end of an era. Miyazaki has said that Dark Souls 3 is the last game that began development before he assumed presidency of From Software in May 2014. "I'm considering Dark Souls 3 to be the big closure on the series," told GameSpot. "That's not just limited to me, but From Software and myself together want to aggressively make new things in the future."

Miyazaki confirmed back in 2015 that From Software already has irons in the fire. One of those new things could be a science fiction- or mech-themed game with the "Miyazaki Touch"—meaning, we have to guess, Souls-like mechanics. Remember, Miyazaki got his start at From Software as a programmer on Armored Core games before being asked to take the helm on Demon's Souls after Sony expressed dissatisfaction with the previous director's progress. In a way, creating another sci-fi game would be like returning to old stomping grounds.

Never say never in the video game industry. Dark Souls 3 is already pulling in rave reviews from critics, and it's bound to sell well given its impending availability across three popular platforms. As the president of a studio, Miyazaki will inevitably find himself having to strike a balance between following his creative muse and making good financial decisions—decisions like making more games in the vein of Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne.

David Craddock

Long Reads Editor

David L. Craddock writes fiction, nonfiction, and grocery lists. He is the author of the Stay Awhile and Listen series, and the Gairden Chronicles series of fantasy novels for young adults. Outside of writing, he enjoys playing Mario, Zelda, and Dark Souls games, and will be happy to discuss at length the myriad reasons why Dark Souls 2 is the best in the series. Follow him online at davidlcraddock.com and @davidlcraddock.