FromSoftware has a massive following, and one of their big franchise hits to come out is Dark Souls. The game brought out a dark fantasy world and challenging gameplay. Players couldn’t get enough of the IP, and it spawned a few sequels. However, the studio’s latest release is actually a brand new game IP. With that said, the franchises share quite a few similarities. As a result, some fans might question why Elden Ring didn’t just end up becoming a Dark Souls IV.
The director behind Elden Ring, Hidetaka Miyazaki, was recently interviewed by FrontlineJP. During the conversation, the topic of Elden Ring becoming a new IP came up. It was questioned why the developers didn’t just opt to make a Dark Souls IV. After all, you’re dealing with similar dark fantasy worlds and challenging combat gameplay. However, it was revealed that one of the main reasons they developed a new IP was because of George R. R. Martin and allowing him more creative freedom.
You’re likely already aware that FromSoftware brought George R. R. Martin into the game development. This legendary author, who has brought out novels the Game of Thrones franchise was based on, had a hand in creating this video game. Martin was brought to help develop the lore and world-building within which FromSoftware would be based. As a result, the studio wanted not to limit creativity within the already established Dark Souls universe.
That wasn’t the only reason. While the author had creative freedom to make the lore, the development team also wanted new features. With Elden Ring being a new IP, the studio would have the ability to work on new ideas and play around a bit more with the game as well. Currently, players can expect to dive into Elden Ring on February 25, 2022. The game will be available for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S platforms when it releases.
