Elden Ring Director Hidetaka Miyazaki Expresses Interest in Developing a Traditional JRPG
Elden Ring creative director and FromSoftware studio head Hidetaka Miyazaki has expressed his desire to venture into developing a traditional JRPG in the future. Known for his work on Soulslike games, this interest marks a surprising shift from his usual genre. A JRPG crafted by the minds behind Elden Ring would undoubtedly ignite excitement among certain segments of FromSoftware’s fanbase.
FromSoftware, renowned for its successful titles like Dark Souls, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring, boasts a diverse portfolio of games. The studio initially made its mark with the King’s Field series of action RPGs and later explored various genres, including the 3D platformer The Adventures of Cookie & Cream and the hack-and-slash game Otogi. Since Miyazaki became president in 2014, FromSoftware has focused primarily on a few genres, a strategy that has proven successful. However, Miyazaki is eager to diversify their offerings.
In a recent interview, Miyazaki shared his interest in exploring genres beyond the Soulslike formula. Specifically, he expressed a desire to create a traditional JRPG. While Miyazaki has yet to develop such a game, FromSoftware has dabbled in the genre before, releasing the JRPG Enchanted Arms for the Xbox 360 in 2006. Although that game didn’t receive widespread acclaim, a new JRPG under Miyazaki’s direction could potentially be groundbreaking.
Despite his interest, Miyazaki made it clear that FromSoftware is unlikely to revisit most of its older games. He explained that many of these games are closely linked to their original directors’ visions, making it improbable for him to create new entries in those franchises. As such, titles like King’s Field, Otogi, and Enchanted Arms are unlikely to see sequels under his leadership.
FromSoftware’s focus on specific genres has paid off, as evidenced by the success of Elden Ring’s DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree. Nevertheless, the prospect of Miyazaki and FromSoftware branching out to create a traditional JRPG, akin to a Final Fantasy or Tales game, is an intriguing possibility that many fans would eagerly anticipate.
