Mohamed Hassan 
FromSoftware is reportedly working on a new PlayStation 5 exclusive and while one might jump to the conclusion of a Demon’s Souls or Bloodborne follow-up, that might not be the case.
FromSoftware’s mysterious next project is always a hot topic among fans, thanks in no small part to the success of Elden Ring. The massive, open-world action RPG sold 20 million copies worldwide in its first year. This is more than half of the lifetime sales of the entire Dark Souls series, which has collectively sold 35 million units worldwide at the time of writing. Its latest release, Armored Core 6, has also performed well from a critical and sales perspective despite comparisons to Elden Ring.
So far, there has been no official announcement regarding FromSoftware’s game development plans after the release of Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in 2024. There has also been no announcement of a collaboration of any kind between FromSoftware and Sony. However, all leakers seem to agree that the next thing on the docket is a PlayStation 5-exclusive game that is separate from Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring.
Is FromSoftware making a new PS5 exclusive?
Multiple leakers and reporters have suggested that FromSoftware is making a new PS5-exclusive.
Nick Baker from the XboxEra podcast stated in 2019 that a deal between Sony and FromSoftware was in the works, with a PS5 exclusive as the endgoal. Nick said that this game will be a new IP unrelated to the Souls series or Bloodborne, although it is expected to share some DNA with the Souls series. Additionally, Hidetaka Miyazaki will be involved in the development of this upcoming secret project.
The second time this rumor resurfaced was through DasVergeben, who’s known for previous Smash Bros. Ultimate-related leaks. DasVergeben also recently mentioned that a PS5 exclusive is in the works. FromSoftware has made several titles that were published by Sony.
Baker also mentioned that Sony is providing production support through former employees of the now-closed Japan Studio. Members of Japan Studio contributed to other FromSoftware PlayStation 4 and 5-exclusive titles including Bloodborne, both versions of Demon’s Souls, and its VR title Deracine.
New FromSoftware game may not be something in the vein of Dark Souls or Bloodborne
From Software’s next title may not be an action RPG and may be smaller in scale than the studio’s other games, according to a 2022 interview with Miyazaki.
When Miyazaki was asked about the future after Elden Ring, he said that developing games solely for the action-RPG genre had limited his ability to realize some of the fantasy ideas he had in mind and that he would like to break free of those constraints in the future. He also said he would like to work on a fantasy game with a higher level of abstraction than his previous works, though it wasn’t really clear what he meant by that.
It’s no secret that FromSoftware is currently working on several projects, not just one game, as evidenced by the studio’s recent hiring spree. The company is also looking to become a publisher unto itself, rather than working with companies like Bandai Namco and Activision. Miyazaki stated in the interview that the goal of hiring young directors and letting them take charge of their own projects is to give him room to create fun side titles, not just AAA games.
One example he cited is Deracine, the PS VR exclusive game he directed in 2019. Because of this, the new PlayStation 5 title may be something quite different from what fans expect from a “FromSoftware game.”
