Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behind successful Soulslike games such as Dark Souls, Elden Ring, Bloodborne, and many more, developed by FromSoftware reveals the game of one competitor he was eager to play that rivaled the success of his Demon’s Souls many years ago.
And surprisingly, it was Naughty Dog’s 2011 masterpiece that launched exclusively on the PlayStation 3.
Uncharted 3 Was Hidetaka Miyazaki’s Top Pick Back In 2011
In an interview around the release window of Dark Souls, the director was asked which games he was looking forward to playing in 2011. He immediately responded with Uncharted 3: Drake’s Deception and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
Politically this is sort of a difficult question to answer! I’m a big gamer… but to be honest, right now I absolutely love Magic: The Gathering Online. For 2011, I’m really looking forward to UNCHARTED 3 and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim.
UNCHARTED 2 came out around the same time as Demon’s Souls so it was a big competitor for us at the time. But UNCHARTED has done so well, and now I’m really excited for UNCHARTED 3. I’m quite interested in Skyrim because the fantasy world is something I really look forward to in games.
It is wholesome to see someone like Miyazaki gush and praise competitors without seeing the need to throw shade at them. At this point, Naughty Dog has already released two incredible Uncharted games and has set the bar high for action-adventure games.
Perhaps Miyazaki took inspiration from Naughty Dog’s globe-trotting franchise on the exploration aspect which was vital for Soulslike games and was capitalized on in succeeding games like Elden Ring and fellow PlayStation exclusive Bloodborne.
Both FromSoftware and Naughty Dog are experts in game development and produce games that appeal to a certain audience. Miyazaki is open-minded and a gamer at heart, which prompted him to try the products of others and can be seen as a way of supporting fellow game developers.
Elden Ring Director Hidetaka Miyazaki is a Gamer Too
The timing of the release of Uncharted 2: Among Thieves and Demon’s Souls in the same year was perfect. Both games demonstrated the powerful capabilities of the PlayStation 3 and brought a fresh perspective and diverse interpretations of the action-adventure genre, attracting a wider audience that wanted to try something new and unique.
Miyazaki is relatable in terms of his choice of games; the Uncharted series was one of the heavy hitters on PlayStation, and his support for the franchise most likely played a hand in the collaboration between FromSoftware and Sony in the development of Bloodborne and the VR game Déraciné.
FromSoftware has perfected the formula for developing a great Soulslike game, and Naughty Dog did the same for the Uncharted games and while each franchise stands out on its own, both have a lot in common when it comes to exploration.
Hidetaka Miyazaki is a creative person who seeks inspiration from the greatness of others and showed his humility the moment he acknowledged and credited the success of competitors.
Are you surprised by Miyazaki’s gaming preferences? Let us know in the comments section below!
