From Software Hints At Dark Souls 2, Intends To "Globalize"

Dark Souls was a big hit among hardcore role-playing fans worldwide, and those fans are all asking the same question: Will we get another one?

The game was technically the spiritual successor to the critically acclaimed Demon's Souls, so we imagine the ardent followers would be fine with yet another successor of some kind. Then again, a Dark Souls 2 would probably go over pretty well, too.

Thankfully, From Software Research & Development boss Masanori Takeuchi told GameTrailers that they're not yet done with the world of Dark Souls.

"Of course, it's not over yet. We've always been enamored by dark fantasy action RPGs. That's just been our core DNA and I think we'll continue to utilize that."

That being said, studio executive producer Eiichi Nakajima wants to cater to a larger audience with their next project. The key is to keep the core gamer happy while "globalizing" the product, so the developer can be successful on a worldwide scale. Said Nakajima:

"We've always been about making games for the core gamer, and they weren't necessarily games that did well financially, which is too bad. The success of both Demon's Souls and Dark Souls, which have each sold over a million [units] per title worldwide, has made us shift our thinking internally to not just core gamers, but to globalize our products, that they can be successful on a worldwide scale. That's now one of the key pillars we consider when we develop games in the future."

Well, we know there are some enthusiastic fans out there who balk at terms like "globalize," but hey, that's business. Don't worry, we doubt From Software will lose track of what the hardcore gamers enjoy.

Related Game(s): Dark Souls

Tags: dark souls, dark souls 2, dark souls sequel, from software

3/12/2012 8:31:50 PM John Shepard

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Comments (41 posts)

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Teddie9
Monday, March 12, 2012 @ 10:00:14 PM
Reply

I don't know what to be more afraid of, the complany taking the westernization route or a game that is possibly harder than Dark Souls (and still be beatable ofcourse).

4 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 7:42:57 AM

I love you!!!!1

0 up, 0 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 12, 2012 @ 10:14:05 PM
Reply

I have to disagree with them, "core" gamers this gen aren't interested in something that facking difficult. It's more of a good sized niche, and it's kind of interesting to see just how many people are left that play something for a serious pain in the butt challenge these days like we used to as kids.

Then again, all games were a pain in the butt then.

4 up, 4 down

hellish_devil
Monday, March 12, 2012 @ 10:55:46 PM

If their main appeal, the difficulty, would dissapear, then they would be another RPG, nothing special. The difficulty is what set them apart and that is they have sold well, because they are something different.

And I do not know how can you call a niche to a statement that says that they sold 1+million per title. Most of those sales were from "core" gamers. As if a braindead callofduty bot would even dare to get close to one of these games.

1 up, 1 down

WorldEndsWithMe
Monday, March 12, 2012 @ 11:55:06 PM

I suppose it depends on your definition of a core gamer.

3 up, 1 down

Geobaldi
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 12:54:49 AM

The difficulty of the Souls series is one of the primary reasons PC gamers are asking for it. With all the roguelike games that the PC has, which is basically what the Souls games are more or less, it would fit perfectly in those collection of games. Though roguelikes are more difficult as most use permadeath, meaning your character dies for good when they do die forcing you to start a new character and game. We're all just waiting for Namco and From Software to decide if they will port it over. They already acknowledged the petition that was started asking for it and they said they were impressed with the amount of signatures it received. So there is a large crowd of gamers out there that really like a difficult challenge, like old school games used to have.

Last edited by Geobaldi on 3/13/2012 12:55:02 AM

4 up, 0 down

Beamboom
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 5:05:25 AM

@Hellish: I don't know what makes you think COD gaming is so incredibly easy. Have you tried playing it? I dare you: If you manage to win a game ONCE on any given map in the first 30 - yes THIRTY - attempts then I shall humbly bow before thee.

Last edited by Beamboom on 3/13/2012 5:06:34 AM

1 up, 1 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 7:44:58 AM

Oh the great joys that come from getting your *** handed to you, never gets old, takes me back to when my mom had to wipe my butt. Those were the days.....

1 up, 1 down

Ludakriss
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 2:50:34 PM

Real deal, maa man. You're a funny person xDDD

0 up, 0 down

Oxvial
Monday, March 12, 2012 @ 10:54:21 PM
Reply

They can do it. I knew the joy wasn't going to last much I can't believe the Souls franchise existed on this gen full of games that doesn't give me a proper challenge, thanks for the ride FromSoftware.

3 up, 0 down

Clamedeus
Monday, March 12, 2012 @ 11:11:37 PM
Reply

I hope sometime down the road they will make a Demon's Souls 2, I know in an article they said it's a possibility that they might make one. But who knows what's going to happen with them.

2 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 7:45:53 AM

I love you!!!1

2 up, 0 down

bigrailer19
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 12:26:47 AM
Reply

I've never played either, so correct me if I'm wrong. Dark souls wasn't a sequel to demons souls? Just curious how this works. Anyways I'd like to try them one day but, I've got so much stuff going on only games I know I'm gonna love get my attention right now.

0 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 7:48:46 AM

You would love the game and each can be played in either order. They are similar to each other but not the same or a sequel.

0 up, 0 down

sirbob6
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 4:08:05 PM

As Real Deal said they aren't sequels, just similar. The only things they share between them are the general mechanics and style. There's a lot of differences between them: the lore, setting, quite a few mechanics, and they added a lot more depth and more online systems. The title was going to originally be named Dark Ring but they changed it after they learned it was slang.

1 up, 0 down

___________
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 5:03:19 AM
Reply

if there going to do a sequel they need to do a few things.
1 keep the difficulty because that is what has earned this game its popularity.
without it, id be a nobody!
BUT with that said they really need a sane difficulty for us who dont find it fun doing the same battle over and over again for 3 weeks straight.
some of us have a life and dont have enough time to spend 10+ hours a day every day for 2 month grinding to get past 1 enemy!

2nd thing they need to change is fix the bugs.
having to redo a mission because the game froze on a piss easy game like COD is infuriating.
having to repeat a mission because the game froze on a bite hard game like dark souls is driving back to the store for a refund.

3rd they need to be more forgiving and generous with their level design and game design.
i love hard games.
i love challenges.
what i hate and this is a pet hate is when games dump you into a level no information no nothing.
you need to be let gently into the game, not pluck a baby out of the mother and put it in WW2 expecting it to kill hitler!
just not gonna happen!
thats the biggest problem with the series.
it does not give you enough information!
one level for instance you can go down 1 path to a underground tomb which is a much easier path.
or you can go down the path into a castle and have to fight a enemy 100000 times harder!
but does the game tell you which one is which?
nope!
they need to make it that ok the player can choose which way they want to go, but you need something warning them this is what your getting yourself into.
if you want to take the challenge then fine, but the player needs to be told it will be much harder so they can make sure they have the required equipment.

and this is a problem i am alive suffers from.
its NOT a hard game, but its cheap.
you have to pull a gun o single enemies, multiple enemies you knife the guy that approaches then you have to have MR flash reflexes and shoot them.
so i have to knife one guy, pull out my gun, aim, shoot to kill one guy, then reload, aim, and shoot to kill the other guy.
all in the time that all they have to do is aim and shoot.
its like saying ok you have to run a 100M race in the time i run a 5CM race.
how the ^%$# am i suppose to do that?
not to mention you only have 1 maybe 2 bullets at once so most of the time you dont have enough ammo to deal with the situations anyway.
as i said above, being difficult is one thing.
but not giving the player enough information, not giving them the resources they need, thats not difficulty.
thats cheap, lazy game design!
theres a BIG difference to a difficult game and a cheap game.

0 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 7:42:36 AM

The game is not that hard, just have to pay attention. Two games later and people are saying the same things. I don't want to know anything about a world, i like acting like i am entering it like I would be in real life. Dark Souls was easier to beat, harder to conquer then Demon Souls. This game is fine just, polish, polish, polish, polish, polish, polish, polish, polish, I mean it was pretty smooth at launch but more of polish is never bad. Polish!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2 up, 0 down

___________
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 9:16:54 AM

of course people are going to be doing the same things if the developers dont change the problems!
its hardly fair for people to have to start a new game because they chose a wrong path and because of that am up against a enemy that they cant beat.
they should have a sign up or something stating which path is the easier path and which one is harder, and a recommendation of what you should take and what level you would need to be to go down the harder path.

0 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 10:12:51 AM

I wouldn't play it, if it did that. My sole reason to play Dark Souls is to have the least hand guiding possible. I can't count the games that are on the market that point you to the end, let that not be Dark Souls 2.

1 up, 0 down

BikerSaint
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 11:20:32 AM

_________,
It really wasn't that hard to do, I took all four of them down in only my second attempt.
And just as it would be the same if it was happening in real life, it's all in your timing whether you live or die in that kind of situation.

*****SPOILER ALERT*****

Machete one, threaten & melee 2nd, shoot 3rd & then threaten & shoot the 4th.

I liked the game play of the demo so far, but my only 2 two complaints so far, are that I'm not liking how they made the game look so cheap-a$$ed grainy, & un-realistic looking(It just feels to me like they took the easy way out on the whole graphics).
And the game is too linear, you can go down other streets to explore but nothing really happens much

0 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 7:36:10 AM
Reply

Oh, man and woman of this great world. I cannot express my emotions on how excited I am for more Dark Souls. I am however scared with the phrasing Nakajima used when referencing the success of Dark Souls. I feel a fraction in the Dark Lord's willpower, to keep all things evil and deathly hard.

I hope that just applies to their other endeavors, not Dark Souls. Please not Dark Souls, its the last of a near extinct bread of games. With all the bad news in the gaming world, not this, this one thing, I will sell my gaming soul to you Dark Lord to ensure it retains that level of **** **** **** **** ***********!!!!!!! *************** ********!!!! *****? that it is known for.

0 up, 0 down

Miggy
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 9:39:15 AM
Reply

I haven't played dark souls yet so I cannot comment on the difficulty. But I did just beat my first playthrough of Demon's Souls and it wasn't that bad. I enjoyed it. I was off from work so I spent 10 hours and just ran through the remaining stages I had left. Old King Allant was such a pain though.

0 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 10:17:40 AM

Thank you for saying that you played Demon Souls. Let this be a lesson, its never to late to pick up this game, just a note buy it new, this publisher deserves your money.

0 up, 0 down

SoulController
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 10:06:48 AM
Reply

As long as I'm a gamer I will defend Dark Souls til the end. Demons Souls was definitely a lot tougher & unbalanced but Dark Souls was Damn near perfect. Everyone who keeps complaining that Dark Souls was too this & too that obviously didn't play the game long enough or play it at all. The game does not hold your hand & yes there ARE checkpoints!! On top of that when u play online, players leave u clues & hints on what your about to encounter & if you choose to dp so, you can tackle the more tougher area and bosses in co op. What in the world is so hard about that?

Also, like every other deep RPG there are wikis & guides hat don't spoil or hender your experience.

I understand certain games arent everyones cup of tea but don't b*tch about the game if you've barely played it or never played it. Play Dark Souls more than 5 hours then come talk to me

1 up, 0 down

The Real Deal
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 10:16:07 AM

Thanks for posting, the truth will be known someday that this game not only beats other RPG'S are on the market. But rips them apart and spits them out. I love commenting on anything Dark Souls or Demon Souls or the possibility of Dark Souls 2, its so easy.

1 up, 0 down

SoulController
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 12:34:20 PM

Demon Souls is one thing but Im getting tired of people saying Dark Souls is too difficult. They obviously didnt play the game long enough. Any true RPG fan can appreciate the tons of micromanagement and awesome boss battles

1 up, 0 down

Palpatations911
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 2:05:54 PM

It is an action game.

1 up, 0 down

SoulController
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 2:13:33 PM

what?? yes its an action game but it's an RPG as well

0 up, 0 down

Ludakriss
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 3:10:43 PM

Hardly, friend. I love it, don't get me wrong. Not antagonizing the game. But, come on...buying items with souls that are used to LEVEL UP?

Ever buy a level in Final Fantasy with Gil(money)? o_O

Last edited by Ludakriss on 3/13/2012 3:11:26 PM

0 up, 2 down

Clamedeus
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 3:36:00 PM

@Ludakriss

That's why you prioritize what you need and don't need.

2 up, 0 down

Ludakriss
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 4:18:41 PM

Mhm. For the game does not give you an option to do otherwise =) All part of the "hard as nails" formula I guess.

0 up, 2 down

sirbob6
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 4:18:43 PM

Ludakriss, that's part of the challenge with the game, the souls are both your xp and money so not only do you have to worry about losing it all when you die, you also have to be careful managing your spending with how much you want to upgrade

2 up, 0 down

SoulController
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 4:42:45 PM

@ludakriss

Your hardly friend response was antagonizing. You sound like you didnt like the game but played it long enough to justify the amount of time it takes to play a deep rpg. What point are you trying to make?

Last edited by SoulController on 3/13/2012 4:43:22 PM

1 up, 0 down

Ludakriss
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 @ 2:02:31 PM

@Soul: So you're saying I'm playing this game to be a hypocrite? That's a mighty long walk to take just to say "the game sucks" which, if you read what I've written, you'll understand, I haven't said.

Playing it because it sounds (english, scottish accents, ambience), looks (grit, darkness, maturity in a way) and plays well. Though sometimes limited in movement, it's great fun.

Just, read the comment twice maybe. To get the actual thought I'm trying to convey. These long writings pain me. I'm a gaming hippy, man. Not trying to inflame so shitty, useless geek war.

Just thought I'd share some thoughts on what this "so called" next gen could really get us in terms of gameplay.

0 up, 0 down

Ludakriss
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 3:05:39 PM
Reply

Fine. I'm not reading all the comments. Takes too long. If you don't think I'm too much of an arrogant prick - read mine.

I haven't seen a comment refer to a level "relativity" yet.

This is what I mean: If you are truly becoming "stronger"(STRENGTH), "faster"(DEXTERITY), more agile, intelligent, etc shouldn't your gameplay show you that you actually ARE BECOMING THOSE THINGS?

Look fact is, as much as I thought I'd be able to swing the sword, katana, scythes and all other manner of nun chucks. Instead I was given the honor of wearing a niftier looking armor or using some blade that required strength.

Yeah, that's all well and good, NOT 100 HOURS IN HOWEVER!

Jeezus, I've had this shitty sword since I've started the damn game, shouldn't all the souls I've drained from medusas and pit lords grant and an ocean of STATS which in turn become faster, more critical, more precise blows to the enemy?

I mean INTELLIGENCE? Can I not see weak points on an enemy which I have defeated 30,000 FUCKING TIMES?!

And we arrive at a conclusion. If there are indeed matters of console limitation in memory? So be it. I quite down, and humbly nod in respect of dev's hard work (and yes, it's hard).

However. If it's just the case of *roll eyes* "I'll do it the next game" instead of just speaking to the producer or supervisor? Forget it. I mean Japan. Are pretty innovative people. Why start mediocrity.

Thanks for those who red it. All I meant to point out was the mechanic. It'd be so beautiful and fluid. Sigh.

0 up, 4 down

sirbob6
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 4:28:51 PM

Ummm, you do. As you increase strength you'll deal more damage if you have a weapon that scales to that stat. As you increase endurance you move faster and more dex increases the faster spells cast and other weapons scale damage. Intelligence is required to learn magic and scale it.

The mechanic works. Scale up your character a lot and then make a new one. The difference in some of the small things are shocking. (It was a lot more noticeable in Demon's Souls) If you just pay attention to what each stat does and you'll see that leveling up actually does a lot.

2 up, 0 down

Ludakriss
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 @ 2:10:05 PM

Again, all this writing, in vain. Dude, please, just try pay attention. I'm saying slight things might might add up, "might".

But if we are to put two videos in comparison: 1. to look at how you swing with a sword, spear, a god damn boomerang.

and 2. to see how THAT EXACT MOVEMENT with any given weapon looks a 50, 100 level on. Do you see now?

I'm talkin bout parrying in more efficient ways perhaps...parrying and slicing an arm off of an enemy in higher levels. Rendering him less intimidating.

Environment reaction, unit repulsion i.e. many enemies surround you and you're able to take one's attack and redirect it, in turn, killing another enemy instead of you!

Just read what I write with neutral thought. I'm looking to bounce ideas with you guys/girls.

0 up, 1 down

JCARROLL
Tuesday, March 13, 2012 @ 4:09:00 PM
Reply

If they can somehow make their games "globalized" and more accessible and still keep a real hardcore depth along with being a rewarding experience then I don't think anyone should have that much of a problem with it.

1 up, 0 down

Zen_Zarab
Wednesday, March 14, 2012 @ 2:29:31 PM
Reply

Want to globalized it?... for nubs?

Only thing they could do is, when you die. Enemies you have defeated don't respawn, your flasks don't replenish and you only have 1/3 your full life. Until you physically sit at a bond fire.

0 up, 0 down

Mystic
Friday, July 06, 2012 @ 9:56:45 AM
Reply

Well,what they need to do is...... To add new cool armors and weapons and a fu**ing bad ass story and more chicks....and almost forgot, more places to explor...........and they need to fix their fu**ing online action they have.

0 up, 0 down

zekky1000
Saturday, December 08, 2012 @ 4:58:08 PM
Reply

I hope they won't make an easier game, when the story is so well hidden, what carries you to play the game in the first place is the challenge, if they make it easier, or add an easy mode people won't be intrested in it, I hope they keep doing what they did with DeS and a lot with DkS, challenging fights, well hidden lore, more armors/weapons, more upgrade paths, more secrets!!!
I hope they will think about it and won't try to sell out, quality over quantity has been their strength till now, they mustn't change!

1 up, 0 down

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From Software Hints At Dark Souls 2, Intends To "Globalize"

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