Shacknews Best Developer of 2022 - FromSoftware

FromSoftware put out Elden Ring in 2022. That in and of itself could be considered reason enough for the Soulsborne masters to be here… but it isn’t. FromSoftware was more than a one-trick pony in 2022 (although their best trick was exceptionally good). The studio showed utmost care in both launching and supporting its titles in 2022, including going back and fixing up old games it could have easily moved on from. Let’s talk more in-depth about why FromSoftware is the Shacknews Best Developer of 2022, shall we?

Believe it or not, FromSoftware’s exceptional effort doesn’t start with Elden Ring in 2022. The studio had another beast to slay coming into the year in the form of a PVP bug that was demonstrated to the devs by its loyal fanbase. This pushed FromSoftware to pull PVP and online features for Dark Souls 1, 2, and 3 offline. Then, it went to work on fixing the problem thoroughly. The team also had to work its fixes into Elden Ring since it relied on the same multiplayer system. Ultimately, FromSoftware was finally able to relaunch Dark Souls online multiplayer and features in a safe and timely manner for those still playing the classics.

Then there’s Elden Ring. This game was a masterpiece of open-world fantasy-fiction action-adventure design. It gave us a vast world to explore at our leisure with mysteries and adventures hiding in every corner of the Lands Between. It didn’t start off equal on every platform. PC had some issues in performance, but FromSoftware also addressed these matters to make the game stable across all platforms. Between that and regular patches ensuring balance and fun throughout the Elden Ring experience, FromSoftware worked feverishly to ensure everyone was enjoying all of its games as much as possible.

For Elden Ring, Dark Souls fixes, and so much more, FromSoftware stayed in good graces with absolute dedication, and it even lined up exciting prospects for the years ahead with things like an Armored Core 6 reveal. For all those reasons, Elden Ring is our Shacknews Best Developer of 2022.

TJ Denzer

Senior News Editor

TJ Denzer is a player and writer with a passion for games that has dominated a lifetime. He found his way to the Shacknews roster in late 2019 and has worked his way to Senior News Editor since. Between news coverage, he also aides notably in livestream projects like the indie game-focused Indie-licious, the Shacknews Stimulus Games, and the Shacknews Dump. You can reach him at tj.denzer@shacknews.com and also find him on Twitter @JohnnyChugs.