Elden Ring is a monstrous beast by most video game metrics, but according to developer FromSoftware, the size and scale on display are about the limit of what the studio can manage without compromise. We should all probably keep this in mind whenever the title that has to follow the Elden Ring act is inevitably revealed.
That's according to studio director and Elden Lord, Hidetaka Miyazaki, who explained in an interview with The Guardian (thanks, PSU) that FromSoftware is more likely to work on multiple smaller projects than to create ever more expansive game worlds:
"Budgets, scale, scope, everything has grown to a point where room for failure isn't tolerated as much as I think it was in the past... Where FromSoftware is right now, in terms of scale, I would say Elden Ring is really the limit. We've tapped every resource and talent that we have access to. Scaling it even bigger, I'd have my concerns. Perhaps having multiple projects is the next stage, where some of the younger talent can have the opportunity to manage and direct game design for a smaller project."
In addition to being FromSoftware's biggest game, Elden Ring is comfortably its best-selling, managing some 25 million sales before the launch of the critically acclaimed expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, which predictably resulted in millions more purchases in its own right. As none of us are getting any younger, we are pretty comfortable seeing FromSoftware draw the line somewhere, and if that means a quicker release cadence, then you won't hear any complaints from us.
What do you think? Should future FromSoftware games be bigger, smaller, or the same size as Elden Ring? Let us know in the comments section below.
[source theguardian.com, via psu.com]
Comments 30
I don’t mind. I think this explored the open world formula pretty well.
Elden Ring is such a massive game that it would actually be a turn off if any hypothetical game advertised it was bigger
Sounds good to me
Good to hear. Its seriously such a refreshing statement that stands out from most companies who nowadays just wants to keep expanding the open world formula for the sake of it without thinking about the risks involved.
@Coolmusic yess, From breeds an air of authenticity unlike any other.
There is such a thing as too big, AC Valhalla I'm looking at you.
I prefer their "smaller" work to Elden Ring, so I have no complaints with them refusing to go bigger.
Glad that's the case, as much as I love Elden Ring I am just done with finding cookbooks and stupid spirit ashes along with its upgrade system.
What do they mean by "without compromise"? They had to shoehorn in a crafting system to justify covering the game with pickable flowers because without those it would've been obvious how much of the game was just empty space. If that's not compromise then what is?
Absolutely fine with this, it’s pretty much as large as I’d ever want. Games are at an impasse with quality vs quantity and I’d much rather see devs paid more to work less hours on a smaller game.
A vote from me for smaller, more densly / uniquely populated / crafted areas.
That game is freaking huge, who needs it to be bigger? I prefer shorter ones
I think a great next step for FromSoftware would be a Bloodborne remaster for PS5 and maybe even som fresh DLC to go with it, just for the PS5 release. Just sayin’…….. 😉😂
@Frmknst actually ac valhalla is a much bigger game.
I think elden ring was the right size for a souls game. Huge game but never out stayed its welcome.
@chucksneed that crafting system they shoehorned in as you put it has been in all the souls games in one form or another..its not a new mechanic specific to elden ring although it is an expanded variant.
Games don’t need to be bigger than they already are.
@chucksneed elden ring empty? 😂🤦
I’m honestly good with this. I think From struggled a bit with the open-world nature of the DLC, and working to populate it efficiently with adequate rewards (cookbooks…!)
A more linear experience would be welcomed by me, even to the extent of something completely streamlined like Lies of P.
From did it well with Sekiro I think, which in essence is quite linear… albeit later game has branching paths, giving some player agency in regards to what order to tackle which task etc
I’d like to see their take on Souls gunplay, maybe leaning into Remnant/Surge style tropes. Armored Core meets Dark Souls…?
But ultimately I’m glad that ER2 isn’t the next project.
No complaints from me. Elden Ring outstayed its welcome after Leyndell, IMO. And too many bosses were re-used and too many dungeons had rewards that were useless to my build. I enjoyed my first playthrough but bounced off a second once I realised that I was making a beeline for the items I wanted for my build and, actually, without the sense of discovery it wasn't that interesting.
I'd much rather see them go back towards something like Sekiro.
@Boxmonkey yeah
Good, I really hope that Fromsoftware returns to smaller 3D metroidvanias. Elden Ring wore me out, and after two runs, I no longer had any pleasure in running it again.
I can’t speak for Elden Ring, but the trend for bigger and longer games is something I’ve been disapproving for a while now. FromSoft games do have a unique je ne sais quoi that makes them satisfying and enjoyable, even after 7 games with iterations of a similar core concept. Other games have not fared so well and grow stale much quicker if they overstay their welcome. So I’d be in support of shorter games, in general. With more and more games being released, there’s just only so many hours in the day, especially when you consider the lifestyle games like the GaaS stuff out there that people play for thousands of hours.
It seems like the trend of “longer=better” really got started around 2015 with the success of Witcher 3 and got every player wanting a huge 100 hour epic to get their money’s worth, and every developer thinking they had to make an enormous open world. Thankfully the focus is now shifting back to quality over quantity. Well… except in the GaaS space, that is.
Good to hear. This site's review of Ghost Hunter echoed my own preferences. I'm tired of ever expanding game worlds and really appreciate more linear experiences these days. Even when I do have the time spend hours gaming, I find myself playing games that get to the point without requiring hours of padding.
It's why I've really been enjoying playing my PS3 and backwards compatible Xbox games recently.
The quality of the legacy dungeons and castles for multiplayer and replayability are what's important to me in their games, so seeing them really refine this in Shadow of the Erdtree bodes well for the future imo. I'm glad they seem to understand what the best parts of their games are and I hope they focus more attention on this going forward.
As much as l like the boss fights they create and design, some of the best bosses they've ever made still sit in Demon's Souls, and I'd like to see some more like the Tower Knight, Old Monk and Armor Spider in their future souls games.
Shadow of the Erdtree is the perfect size for a full game, if you ask me.
Cool.elden ring is a masterpiece.the open world is fine enough.and the boss fights is some of the best boss fights in video games ever.word up son
@Frmknst difference of opinion, to me Valhalla was WAY more bloated. I loved Elden Ring so much that after I got the platinum, I turned it right back on and platinumed the PS4 version 2 months later. When I finished AC Valhalla, I never wanted to see it, or any AC game ever again. To the point that I skipped Mirage. See the difference?
@tangyzesty this 100%. I platinumed elden ring but I'm just over half way through valhalla and I just can't be arsed to finish it and it's not because it's a crap game because it's actually really good but it's just so congested. A prime example of too much of a good thing.
@chucksneed apparently you don't understand the joy of exploration and of there not being something amazing around every single corner. The map is still packed with tons of stuff! And yet it still feels like a living breathing organic world.
Leave A Comment
Hold on there, you need to login to post a comment...