It does not matter how gamers feel about the Dark Souls franchise. Without a doubt, its legacy lives on. FromSoftware is eager to keep its amazing legacy between sequels like Dark Souls 2 and 3, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
Since Elden Ring’s development is underway, gamers and fans are left wondering about the future of the highly awaited sequel Dark Souls 4. As we dig deep into the facts, it still is not possible to come up with an answer. However, people are making an educated guess.
It has been 4 years since the release of Dark Souls 3 as the last installment to the Dark Souls franchise. A lot of fans think that Dark Souls 4 is only a matter of time. The game is extremely well-known all around the world. Thus, it is unlikely the developers are done with it.
Brief History
For its brief history, FromSoftware released a game called Demon’s Souls back in 2009. It was part of their SoulsBorne franchise. However, the game did not acquire much traction. Thus, it was not extremely known to gamers.
After a small reboot, Dark Souls came as the title’s spiritual successor. Namco Bandai Games released Dark Souls in 2011. It was an instant hit for gamers.
Unlike its predecessor, Dark Souls captured the attention of gamers with its mysterious world and fabled difficulty. Since then, Dark Souls fans were treated with two sequels in the forms of Dark Souls 2 and 3.
All three games of the series were a major success. That is why a lot of fans are still craving for more of this action RPG.
Aside from the Dark Souls franchise, fans were also treated with 2 brand-new spin-off games. These games are Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
However, FromSoftware has not stopped yet. They are still busy today creating a new game to add to their list. The game is called Elden Ring.
Will There Be Dark Souls 4?
If you are a Dark Souls fan and you’re hoping for a Dark Souls 4 game anytime soon, then you will be a bit disappointed. The reason for this is that the creator Hidetaka Miyazaki and the developer FromSoftware are focusing on a new IP called the Elden Ring. Game of Thrones author George R. R. Martin will also write the story for this upcoming game.
Ever since it was announced, Elden Ring faced a lot of delays. Thus, even if Dark Souls 4 is the next game from this team, it means it is probably years away from releasing.
However, it is not all bad news. According to Hidetaka Miyazaki, he is not done with the Dark Souls series. For those who don’t know, Miyazaki said during E3 2015 that the series will not end with Dark Souls 3.
This is excellent news for Dark Souls fans. However, this leaves the future of the franchise open to interpretation.
Will Dark Souls 4 be a new and original story? Will it be held on an alternate timeline? Will it be a soft reboot? Will the game be a direct continuation from the previous games? Anything is possible.
Things to Expect from Dark Souls 4
It is difficult to say whether or not there will be Dark Souls 4. Aside from that, it is even more difficult to predict what it will have in store for fans and gamers. As mentioned, anything is possible.
Miyazaki can come up with a new story that is not connected with the previous games. FromSoftware can do a soft reboot. They can even set the game in an alternate timeline in the same universe. The most plausible prediction is that they can continue the story of the previous games.
Anything can happen in case the team confirms Dark Souls 4. However, one thing is certain. FromSoftware will improve the gameplay for Dark Souls 4. They will get rid of the errors and flaws that were present in the past games.
When it comes to Dark Souls 4, players and fans are getting desperate to see new bosses and storylines. They simply want to fight more difficult enemies with improved combat mechanics.
There are a lot of ways to explore the new storylines for Dark Souls 4. It will be extremely interesting to see which one Miyazaki will opt for. Dark Souls 4 may come with more open-world mechanics and day/night cycles.
Another thing to expect from Dark Souls 4 is freedom of movement. One of the biggest flaws of the Dark Souls series is how the player can’t step over an object taller than the main character. While our character can jump, there are sometimes invisible walls that block our way over those objects.
FromSoftware released a game called Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. This game incorporates excellent freedom of movement where players can swing around and jump from high places. That is why you should expect this freedom of movement as well in the upcoming Dark Souls game.
Possible Release Date
It’s always great to know that Miyazaki confirmed he is not done yet with the Dark Souls series. Unfortunately, this still leaves the future of Dark Souls 4 a bit vague. This is particularly true since Miyazaki might have only been hinting at Dark Souls: Remastered that was released in 2018.
However, that does not appear likely. When it comes to the story, Dark Souls 3 ended the narrative. However, you should keep in mind that Dark Souls games have several endings. Thus, it does not mean everything is concluded unequivocally.
It leaves the story of the highly anticipated game wide open. The developer and the creator can take the game in all sorts of directions and fans will still probably love it.
Until they finish the production of Elden Ring, it is unlikely fans will get any definite news on Dark Souls 4. It is perhaps still years away from release.
This means that it will not probably arrive until 2023 or 2024. However, if we follow the words of the creator. There is a huge possibility that there is another Dark Souls game coming in the future.