Originally developed by From Software and SCE Japan Studio in 2009, Demon’s Souls was one of the big surprises for the year delivering a challenging and rewarding action RPG experience. While it originally received an Asian-English release, it later received a North American version by ATLUS USA in late-2009 which reported sales well past expectations and a PAL region release by Namco Bandai in mid-2010 also with strong reception.
Namco Bandai dove at the sequel release of Dark Souls and became the sole English publisher, and while I didn’t think it had that Demon’s Souls charm was also well received by gaming media (Including The Otaku’s Study) and also reported strong sales. While some were left wondering if this would be the end of the Dark Souls experience…. it turns out we can expect a new numbered sequel.
Namco Bandai Games today announced that the Dark Souls saga will march forward with Dark Souls II which is currently in development at From Software in Japan for the Playstation 3, XBox360 and PC. They hope that the game will continue a legacy of presenting its passionate fans with the kind of unrelenting challenges that have become a hallmark of the series – while presenting devilish new obstacles for players to overcome.
Built upon the foundation established by Souls series creator and Dark Souls II Supervisor, Hidetaka Miyazaki, with development helmed by FromSoftware Director Tomohiro Shibuya, Dark Souls II will feature a new hero, a new storyline, and an unfamiliar world for players to survive in while delivering the uncompromising challenge and ultimate sense of empowerment that players hunger for. Epic battles with gruesome enemies and blood-thirsty bosses await adventurers as they traverse and conquer a devastated world filled with death and despair. Players will also discover a revamped server based multiplayer experience that will put a distinct Dark Souls II twist on the concept of playing and sharing with others. For those with enough tenacity and sheer force of will, great rewards await.
Oliver Comte | Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Distribution at Namco Bandai Games Europe
There are few games that are as rewarding for players as the Dark Souls series, and Dark Souls II will give every player that steps up to take the challenge a feeling of empowerment that they will never forget. The game doesn’t accept compromise, and neither do the brilliant people at FromSoftware who will test their own tenacity as well as that of gamers in delivering us another gaming landmark.
Tomohiro Shibuya | FROM Software Director on Dark Souls II
This new chapter in the Dark Souls saga presents opportunities for us to drive innovation in gameplay design, develop an entirely new story, and expand the scope of the world in which the player interacts with the game. We have taken these necessary steps with Dark Souls II in order to evolve the overall experience of the Dark Souls series. The entire development team is striving to make Dark Souls II an experience that is fresh while not forsaking its roots in presenting players with challenging gameplay. Our goal is to surprise and delight our fans with new experiences and plot twists while enticing new players to join our dark journey.
No further specifications have been announced other than that we should expect more details surrounding the game in the months leading to its release.
