'Elden Ring' Developer Says Game Difficulty Is Part Of Its Identity

Hidetaka Miyazaki, president of FromSoftware and daddy to the Soulsborne genre of games, had a lot to say around the release of Elden Ring. The game which is one of the most critically acclaimed of all time, and the best selling in the franchise, was claimed by Miyazaki to be more approachable than previous games. For Miyazaki this didn't mean easier, more that there is a greater choice of classes for newcomers, and paths from which to approach each enemy and boss.

In an interview with The New Yorker Miyazaki has now explained his view on the level of difficulty in his games, saying that they will be challenging for the foreseeable future. A large part of this is reframing how player's view death as a success not a failure."I’ve never been a very skilled player - I die a lot. So, in my work, I want to answer the question: If death is to be more than a mark of failure, how do I give it meaning? How do I make death enjoyable?"

To find out what we thought about Elden Ring you can check out the video below.

He goes on to explain how he tried to make this enjoyment of death the fabric of his games. "I do feel apologetic toward anyone who feels there’s just too much to overcome in my games - I just want as many players as possible to experience the joy that comes from overcoming hardship. We all face problems in our daily lives. Finding answers is always a satisfying thing. But in life, you know, there’s not a lot that gives us those feelings readily.”

His philosophy towards the creation of his games, and the experience he wants to give his players, has set up what a Soulsborne game is. Without the challenge it doesn't fit within the formula. “We are always looking to improve, but, in our games specifically, hardship is what gives meaning to the experience. So it’s not something we’re willing to abandon at the moment. It’s our identity.”

In all of Miyazaki's games he wants to give player's an experience they can't have in the real world and that is why constant deaths is so important to him. “Death and rebirth, trying and overcoming—we want that cycle to be enjoyable. In life, death is a horrible thing. In play, it can be something else."

Looks like we won't be getting an easy mode any time soon then. 

Topics: Elden Ring, Fromsoftware