Elden Ring is an ‘evolution of the Dark Souls formula’

Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki has said the game represents “an evolution” of the Dark Souls series he created.

While Dark Souls spiritual successors Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice brought new ideas to the table, Miyazaki said From Software’s upcoming game goes much further.

“With a larger world, new systems and action mechanics inevitably become necessary. In that sense, I think that Elden Ring is a more natural evolution of Dark Souls,” Miyazaki told IGN.

Announced at E3 2019, Elden Ring is a fantasy action-RPG described as From Software’s largest game to-date.

“While the narrow and complex dungeons of our previous games were indeed interconnected, Elden Ring’s environments will be much more open and vast,” Miyazaki said.

“The more extensive world will form the base of Elden Ring’s gameplay, and its mechanics are designed with that type of environment in mind.”

Miyazaki said players will be able to explore the world of Elden Ring on horseback and engage in mounted combat.

The title takes place in a world created in collaboration with A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin, who was tasked with creating Elden Ring’s lore, rather than working on the game’s story.

“The player will be able to learn about Martin’s mythology through exploration,” said Miyazaki. “We are known for letting the player explore the game’s lore through fragments of environmental storytelling, and this time around Martin’s story is what you will be trying to unravel.

“The period the player actually explores is still connected to the old times, so as you slowly discover why the world has become the way it is, you will learn more about Martin’s mythology as well.”

Miyazaki added: “It was a fascinating collaboration, as we both weren’t restricted by each other, yet still influenced each other’s work.”

The Dark Souls franchise has shipped more than 25 million copies, including digital sales, according to From Software.