Sony Owns Bloodborne & Elden Ring Now: What Does This Mean?

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It’s been verified that Sony will publish upcoming games from FromSoftware, a move that could significantly impact the Bloodborne and Elden Ring series.

In December 2024, Sony gained a significant controlling stake in Kadokawa, which is the umbrella company that houses FromSoftware, the brilliant minds behind games such as Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and Dark Souls. Although it’s believed that Sony was primarily interested in Kadokawa’s anime resources, this acquisition also granted them authority over future FromSoft games.

Originally, Bloodborne was a game developed by FromSoftware and published by Sony, a title that both companies and fans hold in high esteem. Regrettably, no sequel to this game has been released because FromSoft has been busy working on other projects. Interestingly, the creators of Elden Ring recently obtained the rights to this game from its original publisher, Bandai Namco.

When the Sony/Kadokawa merger was finalized, it gave Sony the ability to access future Elden Ring games and, in theory, have influence over FromSoftware to potentially develop more Bloodborne-related projects such as Bloodborne 2 or a remastered version.

Sony to help fund and publish future games

Although Sony has not explicitly declared that they will publish all future FromSoftware games, they have made a promise to assist in their publication and funding for upcoming projects. This might imply that potential sequels to Bloodborne and Elden Ring may appear on the PS5, should Sony decide to commission these games – and they could be exclusive to PlayStation.

Additionally, if the reboot of Demon’s Souls, released concurrently with the PS5, proves to be a hit, Sony and FromSoftware might collaborate on further Demon’s Souls series installments. The announcement that Sony will publish additional games developed by FromSoftware is undeniably exciting for enthusiasts of Demon’s Souls, Elden Ring, and Bloodborne. However, it could inadvertently overlook other potential projects from the same developers.

The ownership of other popular series by FromSoftware, such as Dark Souls and Armored Core, remains with Bandai Namco. Consequently, should Sony become the sole publisher for FromSoftware’s games, titles like Sekiro (published by Activision) might not receive attention or could potentially be developed by different teams.

Although some fans might find it unsettling if games like Armored Core, Sekiro, and Dark Souls were developed by someone other than FromSoftware, it’s crucial to remember that Bluepoint Games, not FromSoftware, successfully handled the outstanding remake of Demon’s Souls.

In addition, there’s no assurance that follow-ups for these series have been thought out yet. Particularly, the Dark Souls franchise seemed to wrap up following the last DLC of the third installment.

Elden Ring Nightreign

Despite Sony’s acquisition of Kadokawa, FromSoftware remains collaborating with Bandai Namco to bring us Elden Ring Nightreign, set for release in May 2025. This game is a spin-off from Elden Ring, but it also merges the worlds of that epic title with Dark Souls, implying that the latter isn’t ready to fade away just yet. As a gamer, I can hardly wait!

As a fervent admirer, it seems this hints at the possibility that FromSoftware might collaborate with external publishers sometimes. This means there’s a higher chance we’ll see Bloodborne and Elden Ring 2 on PS5. However, for those worried about Sony’s grip on the legendary developers, take comfort in knowing this could potentially broaden their horizons.

As a dedicated fan, I can’t help but feel excited about the unknown. Though FromSoftware’s plans beyond Elden Ring: Nightreign remain veiled in mystery, it’s safe to say that there’s plenty to anticipate for Souls series enthusiasts like myself. The recent moves by Sony regarding unofficial Bloodborne projects also hint at potential grandeur on the horizon.

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2025-02-12 19:49