How Demon's Souls Shaped FromSoftware's Switch 2 Move

You've probably already heard the news by now: The Duskbloods is heading to Nintendo Switch 2, and if you're a longtime PlayStation fan, that probably caught you off guard. For years, FromSoftware and Sony felt like a package deal.

You had Demon's Souls kicking things off, then Bloodborne landing as a PS4 exclusive back in 2015, and then the flashy Demon's Souls remake in 2020. It seemed like a relationship built to last. So when word got out that The Duskbloods was going to be a Nintendo Switch 2 project instead, you had every right to wonder what happened behind the scenes.

What actually happened behind the scenes remains a genuine mystery.

Here's where things get interesting. Nothing has been confirmed publicly about bad blood between FromSoftware and Sony, but there's been enough industry chatter floating around to make you raise an eyebrow. An insider with ties to the gaming industry has claimed that Bloodborne is reportedly Miyazaki's personal favorite project, almost like a passion piece he doesn't want anyone else touching.

That same insider suggested it's been widely believed within the industry that FromSoftware and Miyazaki weren't thrilled with how the Demon's Souls remake turned out. When pressed on whether this was speculation or something more concrete, the insider doubled down, saying it's been talked about behind closed doors for quite some time now.

You can also look back at an old interview where Miyazaki touched on the subject himself. He admitted he hadn't actually played the Demon's Souls remake, though he seemed genuinely happy that a new audience could experience the game with updated graphics.

But he also made a point of saying that visuals aren't really what FromSoftware focuses on when building their games, which almost read like a subtle jab at how much attention the remake got for its presentation. To this day, it's unclear if Miyazaki has ever sat down and played through the remake himself, and that tells you something about how involved FromSoftware actually was with that project.

There's a reason Miyazaki's distance from that remake matters so much.

That's the key detail here. The Demon's Souls remake wasn't handled by FromSoftware at all. It was Sony Japan Studio and Bluepoint Games who took the reins, meaning FromSoftware barely had a hand in shaping it. So you have to ask yourself if that lack of involvement created some friction.

Did FromSoftware feel like their original vision was being handed off to someone else without much say in the matter? It's a fair question, especially once you start lining up the timeline. The Demon's Souls remake released in 2020. Around that same period, FromSoftware was reportedly pitching what would eventually become The Duskbloods, with development kicking off in 2021.

That means conversations about The Duskbloods were likely happening around 2019 or 2020, right when the remake was either releasing or already stirring up conversation. Based on the long history between FromSoftware and Sony, you'd expect Sony to be the first call for any new project. That's just how these things typically go.

So the fact that The Duskbloods ended up with Nintendo instead raises a legitimate question about why FromSoftware didn't go back to their usual partner first. Miyazaki has discussed how Nintendo became a perfect choice for the development of The Duskbloods, calling it a good collaboration in which Nintendo gave them a chance to experiment with their ideas.

Still, some obvious questions about that decision remain completely unanswered.

What hasn't been addressed is whether FromSoftware shopped the idea around to other publishers first, including Sony. Did they pitch it to Sony and get turned down? Did they skip Sony entirely because of leftover frustration from the remake situation?

Those details probably won't ever come out publicly, but the timing lines up in a way that's hard to ignore. Combine that with the fact that Bloodborne still hasn't received a remaster or remake of its own, and you start to see a pattern worth paying attention to.

None of this means FromSoftware is walking away from PlayStation completely. If there's ever an Elden Ring sequel or another massive single-player release, chances are it's still going to land on PlayStation platforms, whether that's PS5 or eventually PS6.

Money talks, and publishers like Bandai Namco aren't going to leave that kind of revenue on the table. But The Duskbloods being a Nintendo exclusive still feels like a meaningful shift, especially when you consider how rare it's been for Nintendo to land a major FromSoftware title in the past.

That shift with Nintendo could end up going even further than expected.

This could be the start of something new for Nintendo. With the success surrounding The Duskbloods and the strong pre-order numbers for Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, you have to wonder if more collaborations are already in the works. Is it possible that Dark Souls 2 or 3 may someday appear on Switch 2?

Or is it Sekiro despite the presence of Activision? It's not out of the question that Nintendo could keep building this relationship further, especially now that they've proven they're willing to invest in FromSoftware's ideas. That's really the bigger picture here.

Nintendo has never had this kind of momentum with FromSoftware before, not with the original Switch and not with any previous console. Now they do, and that changes the conversation going forward. FromSoftware is a heavy hitter in the industry, known for delivering consistently strong sales and a loyal fanbase.

If this partnership continues to flourish, it wouldn't be surprising to see Nintendo become part of the conversation for FromSoftware's next big single-player release, something that historically never happened. From Nintendo's side, this feels like a smart move.

This move actually fits Nintendo's broader financial strategy more than you'd think.

They've built up massive profits through franchises like Mario Kart, Zelda, and Smash Bros., games that recoup their budgets many times over. Using some of that success to fund a passion project from someone like Miyazaki makes sense, especially when you consider the long-term benefits of being on good terms with a studio as respected as FromSoftware.

Staying in their good graces could mean first dibs on future collaborations down the line, and that kind of goodwill is hard to put a price tag on in an industry where relationships often matter just as much as raw budgets. It also says something about how much Nintendo has grown willing to take creative risks outside of their usual comfort zone.

From the perspective of Nintendo, it is a company that has consistently leaned towards first-party titles and their own franchises, which is entirely theirs. Therefore, the decision to offer their backing to the game of an outside developer at such a mature stage of its development is rather unusual for them. This decision reflects their confidence in Miyazaki's team beyond just riding the bandwagon.

There must have been some resistance on Nintendo's behalf when they came up with this idea because it differs a lot from their normal releases. Funding an unfamiliar project from an outside studio is always a gamble. However, speaking about Miyazaki and FromSoftware, it is natural for Nintendo to trust the project. This company has already made many good decisions in the past.

Put together, all of these point toward a bigger shift industry-wide.

Based on how things have been developing in The Duskbloods series thus far, it seems that this time Nintendo will not regret putting their trust in this project. Based on everything mentioned above, we can draw several conclusions concerning how shifts in the relations between these three companies can affect the gaming industry overall.

The release of The Duskbloods series on Nintendo may be greatly influenced by the attitude towards Demon's Souls remake and the canceled Bloodborne. Whether or not that's the full story, it's clear that FromSoftware's partnership with Nintendo is opening doors that didn't exist before, and it'll be worth watching where things go from here.