In a new interview with Polygon, FromSoftware composer Yuka Kitamura gives some insight into her inspirations and musical style. Setting the stage for a game as potent and powerful as Elden Ring wasn’t an easy task, but Kitamura’s work has resonated with countless players – and the games that shaped her seem somewhat unexpected, given the game’s genre.
“Having spent my childhood and growing up with video games in the 1990s and 2000s, there are many masterpieces that have influenced me,” Kitamura began.
“The desire to play the main theme of my favorite video game title of all time, The Legend of Zelda, on the piano motivated me to learn piano during my childhood. Especially Majora’s Mask was a title I played for a long time, and I loved the worldview that was deeply connected to the instrument.”
Kitamura went on to say that she was also heavily influenced by the Harvest Moon series, Pokemon series, and Golden Sun series.
Elden Ring has sold over 25 million copies since it was released in February 2022. The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expansion for Elden Ring was released on June 21, 2024, and is currently the highest-rated DLC of all time.
“I felt that game music, sometimes very expressive music using a very small number of notes and bars, grabbed my heart straight away, and this is what made me dream of becoming a composer of such music,” Kitamura continued.
Recently, writer George R.R. Martin potentially teased an upcoming Elden Ring TV or film adaptation.
