Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behind acclaimed titles like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, has had a remarkable journey in the world of game development.
Kickstarting the Soulslike genre was just one of his many accomplishments, and according to an interview from many years ago, he likely saved the Souls franchise from complete annihilation with one feature he refused to budge on. And after finding out what it was, you’ll be grateful he did the same.
Hidetaka Miyazaki Reveals Sony Wanted a First-Person Perspective for One Soulslike
In an interview with 4Gamer, Hidetaka Miyazaki shed light on his early experiences as a director and the challenges he faced while working on projects like Armored Core 4 and Demon’s Souls.
Miyazaki began his directorial career with Armored Core 4, where he played a pivotal role in shaping the game’s mechanics and design.
Reflecting on his transition from lead planner to director midway through the project, Miyazaki shared information about his contributions, including the development of the Quick Boost mechanic. He remarked:
I was in charge of the setting, story, design, and the game systems.
As Miyazaki spoke about his work for Armored Core for Answer, he revealed that there was simultaneous development going on for it alongside Demon’s Souls.
When Demon’s Souls was in the initial planning stages, I came on as the director, and at the time, it was a completely different and very difficult project compared to what it ended up becoming.
One of the most interesting parts of the interview was Miyazaki’s discussion about the early stages of Demon’s Souls. He said that the game initially was going to be from a from a first-person perspective, as Sony wanted a game like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion, which was popular at the time. Miyazaki recalled:
At the time, the plan was to make it first-person, or more specifically, a game in which you switched between first and third-person perspectives.
The director had a completely different vision for Demon’s Souls, however, and he didn’t give up.
Miyazaki’s Refusal to Comply Secured FromSoftware’s Future
Hidetaka Miyazaki put his foot down and argued for a locked third-person camera, emphasizing its importance in enhancing gameplay elements such as battles and exploration. “I knew we couldn’t do our best work unless the camera perspective was set,” Miyazaki explained.
In his efforts to convince the team, Miyazaki explained that a third-person perspective would be better for the game’s environment layout, enemy placement, and multiplayer elements.
Thanks to Miyazaki’s insistence, Demon’s Souls only had a third-person camera. It became the success it’s known as today and spawned the other popular FromSoftware Soulslikes that are loved in the gaming community.
What do you think about this move? Do you want Hidetaka Miyazaki to experiment with a Soulslike that switches between first-person and third-person perspectives? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
