Hidetaka Miyazaki, the renowned creator of the Soulslike genre, expressed his surprise and humility at the unexpected rise of the term. Despite not intending to create an entirely new genre, Miyazaki's influential work, including Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and the recent Elden Ring, has collectively become known as Soulslikes in the gaming community.
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Unforeseen Recognition
Miyazaki shared his initial reaction to the term, in a recent interview with EuroGamer, stating, "We certainly didn't come up with the term Soulslike, and we didn't envision it as a new genre or a new term for the industry. So, of course, when it first started cropping up... we were very surprised." The unexpected recognition brought both honor and trepidation, prompting the question of whether this label truly encapsulated their vision for the games.
Elden Ring's massive success, exceeding 20 million copies sold in under a year, has given Miyazaki's team creative freedom rather than imposing pressure to conform to a specific genre. "Players seem to enjoy our games," Miyazaki noted, "and it helps us to not have that feeling of being trapped."
The Essence of Challenge and Accomplishment in Gaming
Meaningful Difficulty
Miyazaki emphasized that the difficulty present in his games is not a primary goal but rather a means to an end. According to him, the theme of overcoming hardships and the sense of accomplishment holds unique value in the gaming medium. "As a player and as a person, this is not something that can be easily achieved or replicated in our lives," he remarked.
Open World Approach
Elden Ring introduced an open-world design, allowing players more control over the challenge level. Miyazaki acknowledged the difficulty of striking the right balance, stating, "It's important to distinguish that those hardships should be surmountable." While the open-world approach was successful, he admitted it's not the sole solution to achieving the ideal difficulty.
Accessibility Considerations
Addressing past criticism regarding accessibility options in his games, Miyazaki stated that no new features would be added in the upcoming Elden Ring expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree. However, he expressed openness to exploring accessibility options in future titles, recognizing the importance of inclusivity for players with disabilities.
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