FromSoftware head Hidetaka Miyazaki says games like Elden Ring and Dark Souls aren’t about “simply cranking up the difficulty; it’s doing so fairly”

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FromSoftware built a reputation for challenging games with the release of Demon’s Souls in 2009. The Dark Souls series even included a ‘Prepare to Die’ edition, openly acknowledging how much players would face death. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director of games like Elden Ring, insists these difficult moments are designed to be fair.

I was reading an interview with one of the developers, and they were talking about how they approach difficulty in their games. They said it’s not just about making things brutally hard, but about making sure it feels fair. Basically, they want you to die, but they want you to understand why you died, so it doesn’t feel cheap. That’s the kind of experience they’re aiming for, and honestly, I can totally get behind that. It’s frustrating to die to something that feels random or unfair, but if you learn from a mistake and know what you did wrong, it actually makes the game more rewarding.

Miyazaki explains that the developers always expect players to be challenged and even frustrated – it’s a common part of the experience with FromSoftware games. You’ll likely fail encounters at first, but that’s intentional. Each attempt is a learning opportunity – figuring out enemy patterns or environmental hazards. Then, you try again and again until you succeed.

Look, I get that a lot of people might be frustrated with how hard the game is – I’ve definitely felt that way myself! But Hidetaka Miyazaki, the creator, explained that they really focus on making sure you can learn from your mistakes. They want a challenge, absolutely, but not one that feels cheap or unfair. It’s all about that feeling of getting a little better with each try, figuring things out, and then applying that knowledge next time. That’s what they’re aiming for, and honestly, I can appreciate that.

I’ve died to Ornstein and Smough countless times, but I’ve always felt the same way about FromSoftware’s games. They’re definitely more challenging than most, and the bosses can feel incredibly tough. However, that difficulty comes from the belief that you can win – you have everything you need, you just have to figure out the best way to combine your skills and tools to succeed.

It doesn’t feel great when you’re struggling with a tough boss like Malenia in Elden Ring, that’s for sure. But remember, the game developers, like Miyazaki, aren’t intentionally trying to frustrate you. It’s just part of what makes the game challenging.

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2025-12-30 21:10