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Since *Demon’s Souls* first arrived in 2009, FromSoftware has become the definitive architect of the ‘Soulslike’ genre—a style of gaming characterized by vast exploration, strategic progression, and notoriously steep challenges. However, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the visionary director behind the studio’s most iconic hits, isn’t entirely convinced his team deserves the credit for inventing the concept.
Reflecting on the etymology of the term in an interview with *Game Informer*, Miyazaki suggested that FromSoftware simply identified a gap in the market. “I’m aware that we are often credited with originating the term, but regarding the core design, the idea of using death and learning as a fundamental gameplay loop was something players were likely already prepared for,” he noted. “It seems there just wasn’t a project that perfectly satisfied that specific appetite at the time.”
Originally a member of the *Armored Core* team, Miyazaki specifically requested to lead the development of *Demon’s Souls*—a project that FromSoftware’s leadership viewed with a degree of uncertainty. He revitalized the vision by drawing inspiration from *King’s Field*, the studio’s first-person fantasy series from the 90s, and infusing it with innovative persistent online features. This eventually birthed the signature mechanic where players drop their ‘souls’ upon defeat and must fight their way back to reclaim them.
Demon’s Souls – Announcement Trailer | PS5 – YouTube
This cycle of perseverance became the bedrock of the ‘Soulsborne’ lineage, spanning from *Dark Souls* to *Elden Ring*. “We realized that audiences were receptive to games that integrated failure into the core experience,” Miyazaki explained. “I don’t necessarily view it as a radical new invention; rather, the DNA of FromSoftware’s design simply intersected with what the market was missing.”
Regardless of how the genre is categorized, FromSoftware’s portfolio has only grown more ambitious. Each title remains anchored by that distinct sense of tension: the crushing weight of losing hours of progress in a surprise encounter, and the sheer adrenaline of reclaiming it. After all, a game isn’t truly a ‘Soulslike’ until it balances that fine line between frustration and ultimate triumph.
Source: gamesradar.com
