Why FromSoftware Refused to Let Sony Publish Dark Souls
FromSoftware made a surprising decision to distance itself from Sony when developing Dark Souls, and according to former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida, the reason was simple: disappointment.
During the development of Demon’s Souls, FromSoftware collaborated with Sony Japan Studio, initially planning for Sony to publish the game worldwide. However, Sony ultimately decided against localizing Demon’s Souls for Western markets, citing its punishing difficulty and negative early playtests. Instead, Atlus published the game in North America, while Bandai Namco handled its European release.
Sony’s Hesitation Led to a Major Missed Opportunity
Speaking on the Sacred Symbols podcast, Yoshida revealed that Sony wanted to partner with FromSoftware again for a Demon’s Souls sequel. However, the developer declined and instead collaborated with Bandai Namco to create Dark Souls, the game that would propel the Soulslike genre to global success.
FromSoftware was already working on the sequel, but they were so disappointed with how PlayStation treated them," Yoshida explained. "We wanted to work with them again, but they passed on it.
A Second Chance with Bloodborne
Despite this setback, Sony and FromSoftware eventually reunited for the PS4-exclusive Bloodborne. Yoshida expressed his satisfaction with this renewed partnership, saying, "We have huge respect for Miyazaki, and we were able to work with them again. Bloodborne is one of his best games."
Looking back, Yoshida admitted that Sony misjudged Demon’s Souls’ potential. In a 2012 interview with Game Informer, he recalled struggling with the game during its late development phase:
After two hours, I was still standing at the beginning of the game. I said, ‘This is crap. This is an unbelievably bad game.’ So I put it aside.
However, once Atlus and Bandai Namco brought the game to Western audiences, it became a cult hit. Yoshida acknowledged Sony’s failure to recognize its value, stating, "We definitely dropped the ball from a publishing standpoint. We were not able to see the value of the product we were making."
FromSoftware’s disappointment with Sony’s handling of Demon’s Souls ultimately led to the creation of Dark Souls—a defining moment in gaming history that shaped the future of action RPGs.
