Rich narrative and worldbuilding isn’t exclusive to The Lands Between or the dense history of the Dark Souls series, as even the universe of FromSoftware’s original Demon’s Souls has remained a uniquely untapped realm of dark fantasy intrigue compared to other IPs. As this potential for expansion has only become more obvious in the face of subsequent titles, revisiting the world of Boletaria could be the most creatively rewarding path forward for the developer.

Considering that Demon’s Souls was essentially a recovered project that Hidetaka Miyazaki infused with his own vision, it makes sense that its unexpected success led him to reboot the concept of Souls entirely with the spiritual successor of Dark Souls. Now that Soulsborne has become a ubiquitous term in the gaming industry and a plethora of titles have come in the time since, however, giving the IP that started it all another chance seems like a more refreshing prospect than tacking yet another sequel on top of the Dark Souls trilogy.

The Universe of Demon’s Souls is a Much Fresher Slate Than Other FromSoftware IPs

Dark Souls’ Legacy is Established, but Convoluted

There’s no doubt that fans would be elated to see another Dark Souls entry that continues its cryptic yet expanding lore, but that existing depth also creates a web of complexity and restriction. When there are now thousands of years of background narrative surrounding ideas like the legacy of Gwyn and his progeny that followed informing future installments, a possible Dark Souls 4 would ultimately be beholden to iterating on the past and doing justice to its callbacks over introducing novel concepts.

How a Return to Demon’s Souls Could Bring the Studio’s Evolution Full Circle

Despite its landmark popularity, the Dark Souls series was officially intended to be concluded with its third entry. In a 2015 interview with GameSpot, Miyazaki elaborated on his mentality when it came to the continued release of Soulsborne titles as a whole:

“I don’t think it’d be the right choice to continue indefinitely creating Souls and Bloodborne games. I’m considering Dark Souls 3 to be the big closure on the series. That’s not just limited to me, but From Software and myself together want to aggressively make new things in the future. Dark Souls 3 will mark the last game where the development project began before I became president. The next title will be a game that was conceived while I was president. I believe that From Software has to create new things.”

It could be said that Elden Ring has essentially acted as the swan song to the post-Sekiro era, but there’s still room to revisit the IP in which all these releases are rooted. While Demon’s Souls established much of the subgenre’s DNA over a decade ago, a follow-up has the space to bring new ideas into the fold for a new generation instead.

The Innovative Opportunities of a Demon’s Souls Sequel

FromSoft is Likely to Return to the Boletaria of the PS3 Era Over the Remake

Graphical improvements of the PS5 remake aside, there’s been a notion within the Soulsborne community that the original Demon’s Souls has a unique aesthetic that has held up over the years. The company has changed significantly in the time since 2009, but that is also a solid basis for meaningfully experimenting with a sequel’s core gameplay and world design. Whether it takes place in the foreseeable future timeline, or seems entirely disconnected, another crack at Demon’s Souls wouldn’t be bound by the tropes that other similar titles have become known for.

Bloodborne Could Find a Spiritual Successor in Demon’s Souls 2

While a follow-up to the Sony-tied Bloodborne has been a popular fan request for years now, a Demon’s Souls sequel might be better poised to deliver on this desire within the bounds of the greater industry. Both worlds share a darker atmosphere and grotesque design philosophy which could allow the studio to consolidate two underrepresented parts of its catalog, all while eschewing the trappings of honoring the hype of a popular name.