Elden Ring’s monumental success has cemented FromSoftware’s reputation as one of the few studios left in our industry that can do very little wrong with its games. Sure, there may be some hiccups in its game development procedures. Still, it is yet to let its fandom down the way many other studios have.
What’s rather interesting about the game’s success is how Hidetaka Miyazaki, in his recent reflections, shared how he and his team maintained a deeply conservative outlook toward the game’s potential for sales and acclaim throughout its development despite most likely knowing what they were about to unleash into gaming’s wilds.
Hidetaka Miyazaki Never Assumes That His Games Would Sell as Well as Elden Ring Did
The perfect way to start this off would be to mention how Miyazaki’s approach to game development has its roots in humility and constant improvement. Even when taking on projects of immeasurable magnitude like Elden Ring, he never rests on his past laurels.
Perhaps it was surprising for him and his team, then, when the game achieved near-instant release, with critics showering heaps of praise on the game and players coming in droves to scour the Lands Between and give their all at becoming the Elden Lord.
Sharing what it was like during the game’s development, Hidetaka Miyazaki shared how his team maintained a grounded outlook through it all and, in an act of stoicism, stood ready to embrace failure as a path to innovation. He elaborated on the same in an interview, explaining how:
“Elden Ring was in a league of its own in terms of the success and critical acclaim that it has seen, but what we try to do as a company is never assume that will happen again with our future games.”
It is a philosophy that has its roots in Demon’s Souls, wherein the game’s assumed failure by the rest of the company gave Miyazaki the chance to turn the game into a genre-defining phenomenon.
Not only that, but it’s a good practice that fosters creativity, pushing the team to explore every corner of the gaming experience with meticulous attention to detail to prevent the chance of failure.
By never assuming their next project will succeed, Miyazaki and his team remain focused on creating a unique experience with each game. This approach keeps FromSoftware’s titles fresh, incredibly detailed, and mechanically enjoyable, ensuring players discover new layers of depth with each play-through.
Despite What Hidetaka Miyazaki May Think, Fans Continue to Anticipate His Next Project’s Arrival
Now, these guys may choose to remain modest about its achievements and expectations. Still, fans of Miyazaki will forever choose to be anything but forever, singing praises of what they’ve accomplished with these games.
The studio’s newest expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, has pushed the boundaries of difficulty and design, which has admittedly led some to question where it can head next with its current soulsborne formula.
It is important to keep in mind, however, that the collective Elden Ring experience only represents the studio’s current mechanical peak and not a creative one. Let’s also not forget that for many of us, it’s the atmosphere, narrative cohesion, underlying themes and philosophy, and lore that make these games a real standout in the industry.
That said, all fans expect from the team’s future projects, with Miyazaki at the helm, is to build on this legacy of excellence while exploring new directions.
The studio’s resilience—bouncing back from the brink of closure after Demon’s Souls already speaks volumes about its ability to overcome adversity. So, most will continue to rally behind the studio, eagerly awaiting what comes next, despite the uncertainty voiced by the company itself.
But what are your thoughts on the auteur’s game design ideology? Is it productive to assume possible failure in game development beforehand? Let us know in the comments below.
