A Letter to From Software: Please, No More Dark Souls

FromSoft said Dark Souls 3 is supposed to be the last Souls game for a while, or maybe forever. After finishing the Ringed City expansion, I hope they're telling the truth. Let's examine what made the first Dark Souls so special, and why the series needs to end with grace.
Support me on Patreon: / michaelsaba

[@hemangchauhan2864]

I too strongly believe in standalone games, where making a sequel is rather pointless (but a spiritual sequel is more viable and welcoming). Dragon Age Origins was suppose to be a stand alone game, with the lore built around it. The sequels were pointless, and despite devs handling the lore well, it still felt they were spreading it thin. Shadow of the Colossus is a game that you cannot make a sequel of, neither of Ico. Yet, Team Ico smartly incorporated their ideas into their spiritual successors, The Last Guardian. Also it's not just publishers, but the clueless gaming audience in general, who incessantly demand for sequels if they happen to like a game, even if it's made to be stand alone. Go to any Bloodborne related video and see how many of these fans want a Bloodborne 2 (and have laughably failed to understand the game's concept). Great video. A little feedback. I personally think, you should've used the title card of the video at the start, and used that as a jumping point from there, because I felt that you haven't come to your point when the title card showed up 20% into the video, and it felt like time was wasted. Or, you could do away with showing the title, and get straight to the point.

[@MichaelSaba]

Thank you Hemang! You always leave such thoughtful comments -- I appreciate the kind words, and I'm glad you've been enjoying my videos. You and I have very similar tastes, because I felt the exact same way about Dragon Age vs. Team Ico's games. I actually have a video planned for how Team Ico's games use player-disempowerment and ambiguous storytelling to create unique and deeply personal experiences for the player. (They are a prime example of games where, as you said, sequels just wouldn't make sense and would massively cheapen the originals.) I definitely get what you mean about the title cards. When I'm editing, I sometimes rely too much on how the video "flows" or "feels" on my end, rather than approaching it from the viewer's end. This is good feedback that I'm going to incorporate into the next video.

[@purgatoriprytania5382]

Sequels, or even prequels, are never 'pointless' so long as there is still more of the story to tell or lore/history to flesh out.

[@clrndalvare]

Just wanted to say that, for what it's worth, I find it very difficult to find a good video game content creator on youtube, someone that not only has decent taste and the needed skills and background, but who can also expand on the concepts and cross reference to other media. But so far your videos have been very good, always on point and thoroughly enjoyable. So congratulations, and thanks! And btw I actually like the title cards after the intro. It makes a clear distinction between "what's the video going to be about" and the actual video, and many great shows follow this formula.

[@christiangottsacker6932]

Bioshock fans have felt similarly. I do like 2 and infinite a lot for what they are.

[@asnor7588]

Eeh , I mean there are a lot of good sequels out there and some games would just not be possible without the economic stability of a sequel . A new ip is always a big risk . By the way, I love inquisition , I just hope they will end it with the next one or two new games cause many lore elememts are coming to an end.

[@persivle9]

It's been a few years now but I still remember that time I wrote a college essay on the themes of struggle and adversity in dark souls. That paper got me an A and it was one of the most validating experiences of my life.

[@raphaeldias9154]

I like to think that the last line in the "The End of Fire" ending ("Ashen one, hearest thou my voice, still?") was a reference to how we should accept that every cycle must come to an end, but the "voice" of Dark Souls is something that is eternal, as long as we keep it within us.

[@RagnarRoxShow]

You keep catching me off guard with these TNG references!

[@thesatelliteslickers907]

From soft really has moved onto other things, new fields Dark souls is a wonderful trilogy, and it deserves to remain as just that

[@cesarcampos8746]

Elden ring is the same, armored core is looking like dark souls too

[@thesatelliteslickers907]

@@cesarcampos8746 its the same genre. not the same thing the series is over, and i hard disagree with the sentiment that armoured core counts as a soulslike

[@Tropcopter]

FromSoft is at their best when they start with a blank slate and let their imaginations run wild: new lore, new setting, new universe - hence why Demon's Souls, the first Dark Souls and Bloodborne are considered their strongest titles. Sequels, whether direct or not, inherently require a sense of continuity, which can really shackle the developer's creative potential. I don't mind if we don't see another Dark Souls again, but I hope From never stops making this style of game. The current state of AAA gaming is genuinely depressing to me; the amount of handholding, the lack of any real challenge, the obsession to turn everything into a Hollywood-esque cinematic blockbuster, the complete lack of faith in a player's intelligence, it all drives me insane. Dark Souls is the only big budget game series that has given me any excitement in the last 5+ years and I'd be really sad if that ever stopped.

[@purgatoriprytania5382]

It's also why hack Hollywood writers prefer to go back to origin stories again and again and again. Continuity is a constraint that good writers are capable of working within and turning into interesting possibilities, not something that their creativity necessarily chafes under.

[@luciobertramo783]

The funny thing about DS2 is that the devs really make a amazing story about if it's worth saving the world and why we do it give a chance to Scholar of the first sin is a hidden gem

[@purgatoriprytania5382]

I agree. But only because it's time for the rebirth of Armored Core.

[@Tenfey]

It's like eating too much candy.

[@vagabundorkchaosmagick-use2898]

You can eat too much candy if you don't eat it all in one day.

[@odonodera]

Hey!! It's 2020, Demon Souls remake was release. How do you feel about this?

[@danhectic5629]

this video is 5 years old and i'm seeing it for the first time now...? * subbed *

[@TsiSiFa]

Dude I can't believe I found an intersection of MGS, Dark Souls, and Atlanta trap. This is the best fuckin channel

[@shinluis]

Ironically the whole theme of dark souls 1 was how everything must come to an end and how trying to extend things beyond their time will "spread things too thin" until they eventually metaphorically hollow out. It makes me pissed to no end how the directors of DkS2 straight up misunderstood the theme and dragged the series to some eternal recurrence which is pretty much the opposite of what DkS1 was trying to convey.

[@raphicoco]

Actually, DS2 is also all about that but in an another perspective. This is why your characters is trying to find a cure so that he can break the sicle (which are the crowns). It was exactly about that it needed to end but people will lie to themselves and restart the whole thing again out of fear. I actually find DS3 more insulting in so many ways but also because it just dismissed the hole thing like if it wasn’t important that a guy has found that little thing called the CURE and broke true the sicle. They do point out that the giants spooky creepy skeleton is wearing the actual crown but that also means that ds3 is also pointless. If a immortal emperor that has actually severed the curse didn’t matter, then all the ds3 endings also are. Seriously, in a way, it is inviting more the possibility of a sequel than DS2!

[@Nidael009]

Sick video, and that Trostky reference daayum.

[@srfrid]

Great Video! Keep the good work.

[@johnsoncanpell5120]

Well, it was confirmed no more Dark Souls, and there will be a focus more standalone titles, such as Sekrio and Elden Ring.

[@q.barclay8562]

Great video!

[@TheGobberShop]

Awesome content! keep it gurring!

[@kaigen999]

I wouldn't mind if Dark Souls 3 was the last game in the series. But I wouldn't complain if a 4th was announced either

[@Manuelbacon40]

does this apply for cod too?

[@mikegreiling]

loved the video, I agree wholeheartedly

[@CheekiStalker]

DS3 DL2 ending was the perfect way to end the series. A beautiful ending.

[@katnull6755]

considering this video, I'd love to hear your thoughts on Bloodborne

[@TeamTamahakk]

fuck i love your choice of music

[@BinBinBinBinBinBinBinBin]

It's lucky Miazaki already said it was the last Dark Souls, since no matter the ending you got in Dark Souls 3, the entire series would end, but with the other games, it wouldn't've if the player rekindled the Flame

[@justinbutler591]

I want to see a true ending to the undead curse not just linking the flame and reminitiating and continuing the age of fire and becoming the lord of cinder or letting it fade and entering the age of dark. Both of those the curse remains no solution was came to :/

[@thesatelliteslickers907]

I think that the dlc ending did that quite well.

[@BlueBD]

IMO the Dark Souls Franchise is over. But that dont mean they can make more stuff based in the style and universe. Like Bloodborne or maybe even something like a Cross between Nu-Prey and Bloodborne would be cool. A Sweet Art-Deco look with elements of lovecraft horror. from eldritch Abominations and Cracks in reality to Blendings of different Timelines as your character attempts to Fight against something it cant actually beat.

[@erlonbrunosouzamiranda8525]

Imo, the only game they could have made that would be adequate to following Dark Souls would be a prequel, showing how the Age of Fire started. Not that I think that's a masterpiece as DS1, but it explores how this world came to be this way without affecting its story and themes much. That said, DS3 did a wonderful job of concluding the series given how DS2 left it, and I love the Ringed City lore and central plot, and how alongside Ashes of Ariandel, it explores topics left ambiguous by the first game and enriches the world of Dark Souls.

[@xoshnax5962]

Gameplay used is from lpdarksoulshd

[@Rmprice86]

Please make 10 more!

[@broderickblack]

Oh dear hunter may thee echos become thee strength

[@jonathandoe1367]

I thought it was "thy echoes become thy strength"? "Thy" being the possessive form and all that.

[@loginnathaneugh9412]

Jeez now how you mention the cycle, do you think in a custom/fan LORE dark souls becomes Bloodborne, think about that for a moment

[@jackpollard550]

I think Dark Souls 1 is one of the greatest games I’ve ever played, and will ever play, because of one core tenet. I played it at a very difficult time in my life, when I was struggling with the concept of death. Depressing, I know, but hear me out. Not so much the concept of my life ending, but the sheer unrelenting inevitability of it. I am going to die, and there is nothing in this world that can stop it. Bring in DS1. A brutally difficult game for the time, with well written characters, a mind bogglingly complex and rich world, and interesting lore to boot. But, above it all, as I finally killed Gwyn and watched an old man take one last look at his fire before passing on, I realized: Dark Souls 1 made it okay for things to end. To drag things out past their natural point was pointless, and ultimately harmful. You won’t live forever - nothing ever does - but it’s okay. You might be a little scared, a little angry, a little sad. But, it’s okay. At the very least, you won’t be alone when you go. And then enter Dark Souls 2: “YOU’LL LOSE ALL YOUR SOULS AND DIE AGAIN AND AGAIN HAHAHA GET REKT NOOB THIS GAME’S TOO HARD FOR YOU WATR U CASUL?!” Ugh..

[@tbone9474]

There's no need. Another cycle has finally concluded. DS1 we take up Gwyns mantle of Lord of Ash, same in DS2, and DS3 we canonically accept the age of Dark. This cycle has happened before Gwyn and company, and will happen again after our extinguishment of the flame

[@mamenggaluh8897]

Elden Ring coming as a spiritual sequel to Dark Souls -grrm said.

[@jmalmis]

I never choose to rekindle at the end of a souls game.

[@zinv08]

7:37 I think you meant say "put out of their misery". Sorry It just stuck out to me.

[@justinbutler591]

Rekindling the first flame doesn't end the curse so there was no ture solution to the problem in dark souls

[@l3vi23]

it's a continuous cycle u can't stop........

[@schwegburt3002]

Definitely agree that DS3 should be the last. I like the intended/unintended meta story of Dark Souls 3. As you touched upon, that the constant repetition and diminishing returns of it has rendered the world barren and hollow.

[@retrowolf3456]

gently guiding? my hollowed ass!

[@mitchsz]

Well at least Miyazaki confirmed that no more DS will be released, only new IPs since then and that's good, it means they are not that attached to DS to turn it into a cashgrab.

[@iexitmusic]

Boo boo with a dab of ranch

[@Sigfodr777]

That's great and all... but I don't have a playstation.

[@osakanone]

Armored Core when

[@WorthlessWinner]

even if they don't make another dark souls, and just make a different franchise, would it really matter? The game is like bloodborne, probably going to be similar enough in gameplay that it could just as well be called dark souls

[@kenpanderz672]

without omnipotence or Nirvana, immortality is hell.

[@shayoko6]

there are plenty of series that seriously need to stop. mario is probably at the top of that list.

[@pitchblack5422]

Akemi Homura then Fifa and Madden🤔 Assassins Creed too lol And a long list of EA games

[@Luchingador]

Please more PC Ports

[@Cryothia]

I really hope FromSoft ends the Dark Souls franchise because they said that 3 is the end of the series. I don’t want them to feel like they have to make another sequel and not be able to branch out like in Bloodborne and Sekiro. The way I think about it is by thinking of Gravity Falls and Spongebob. Gravity Falls is an amazing show that many people want another season of, but the story is over and that’s why the creator won’t make another. There’s nothing more to tell. Now look at Spongebob. To me, the early seasons of the show are the best and I will happily watch them if they are playing. People wanted more and more seasons and the team got worse and worse, making episodes that make little sense and shoving a lesson down someone’s throat. To me, the most important lesson in making something is knowing when to stop, and I really hope FromSoft acknowledges that

[@miming3679]

Thumbnail makes me think of berserk

[@TheYetixOUTx]

they should just remake the berserk ps2 game

[@justinbutler591]

No dark souls never actually had a solution and we never did end the curse whether or not u link the flame the curse remains all u do is decide is the age of fire continues or the age of dark begins. We have not actually had true closure because we haven't been able to release the curse from the world and there must be a way. It cnt be permanent if it was made it can be destroyed. So there still needs to be a final dark souls game where the player can actually end the undead curse. The other games endings solve nothing n make no difference to the true goal.

[@neocow2]

put out of mercy?

[@Timorio]

This isn't a letter, fyi.

[@southendbusker7534]

eh... this content +1 , then that intro music ...

[@ghysling]

>Plays dark souls >Talks about the lore >Game is actually about pissing off coop players Also: Praise Ramòn Mercarder

[@MrRadishface]

Stellar video, although mention of that quote from Leonid Trotsky kinda of triggered me, considering how terrible that man was. Although, come to think of it, I suppose somebody as vile as him would fit well in the Souls universe :P

[@Nidael009]

Why do you consider him to be terrible?

[@peacehunter6658]

no more ds? are you guys sick? there is so much to prove in ds and i dont mean the combat...

[@pwnomega4562]

too late, elden ring is out lol

[@alex.starostin]

@@rudrank819 RIGHT???! 😄

[@MMMM-vq1yr]

They actually are making a Dark Souls 4. I got mailed a demo and my god it's beautiful. My favorite part is probably the first boss fight, where you have to face Artorisolairenstein; a totally mysterious dog knight that was revived by an unknown sun fetishest then morphed with the flesh of a strange, long-dead cat-man. You can summon Siegwildendwarfenstein for help. I'm glad From Soft is still willing to pander towards players with characters that died horrible fucking deaths long ago, they're just so cool, can we get Solaire in Bloodborne 2 please?

[@JokerisWild4]

I've never played any of the Souls games, just Bloodborne until the cheapest death ever cost me 3 hours of progress. It was at that point that I realized any game can be a souls game of they just removed all the checkpoints, disallowed saving at fair intervals, and hit you with projectiles off screen that you have no way of countering, sneak attacks with no notice or way of dodging unless you already know they're coming, and enemies that can kill you just by knocking you down and registering another hit while your standup animation is still active, thus killing you (ie. the giant running pig in the tight corridor at the beginning of Bloodborne) It was at this moment that I realized, if they put regular checkpoints in the game this would just be another clunky mediocre third person action game.

[@kidnameless]

Bad take

[@EveryTimeV2]

Don't let your painted interpretations of how a game is affect your ability to enjoy the games themselves. Living wouldn't be so bad with cute anime girls.

[@travisbewley7084]

I disagree that DS2 was shallower. The game mechanics had far more depth, weapons had far more variety, stats were far more balanced, the game had far more play styles that were viable, more side-grade options and a lot of the mechanics that trivialized the first games combat were addressed, like roll-spamming back-stabs. Mind you all those problems came back with a vengeance in DS3.

[@timsullivan2285]

Letter to from soft, but not really. Proceed to explain dark souls gameplay and story.....

[@deliriumsrealm8619]

disagree

[@jimslav6973]

Meh. Dark Souls 3 is the last in the series... if you want it to be. This is millennial ennui; it's a completionist spirit competing with more entertainment than any other generation has ever experienced. If you're done, just stop playing. Miyazaki does not have to stop his signature accomplishment just because you want to take ownership of it.

[@swr3603]

DS1, Demon Souls, Bloodborne and DS2 are all games I enjoyed a lot. Mostly because of how unique the setting and gameplay of each one was. DS3 just seemed so bland and overdone. DS2 doesn't count as a DS game imo because it began as a new IP before it was changed to another DS game.

[@sevenchambers]

Souls fanboys can’t let go of Souls. The Souls formula makes too much money. Thus Fromsoft will keep making Souls games. Elden Ring is proof of this.

[@shrouls]

Well people want souls games. The point of the video is that some don't want another dark souls games

[@lahunica2726]

Hence Sekiro, Déraciné and the upcoming mecha title lol

[@hyperleap4876]

I feel these videogames lost their deep thematics and commentaries, instead only carrying on its aesthetics. It became something else what people that didn't understand it thought it was, and it lost what made it special.

[@jamesshepherd9390]

I agree with almost all of what you say, but at the same time I think you sound super annoyingly pretentious. Please fix this or you're going to be in a lot of trouble!

[@benjaminbeltran7004]

Bloodborne is NOT a from software game it's a Sony game. From Software should go back to Armored Core if they really want to change the pace for a while. Or maybe a completely new IP with a completely different tone and atmosphere to both Dark Souls and Bloodborne.

[@shinluis]

What do you mean? Bloodborne was made by FROM. Sony has the distribution rights.

[@contineus999hungry]

I want a reboot to dark tower (Japan only by from software)

[@breakinmadly]

Elden ring is a disappointment in many regards.

[@happytouch2671]

Dark Souls 3 was/is shit. Not better than DS2

[@STUPIDHUMAN]

Happy Touch wut

[@raphicoco]

Indeed, i wouldn’t say shit but a big setback for the second.

[@AcciorraOfficial]

"Elitist"

[@Kindlesmith70]

and Elden Ring came around. Yeah. This game design isn't getting better. Lets include open world in a less than optimal way to the game not designed for this style of play. Solo, it's fine. Multiplayer its not great. Still. Less so than previous games. The concept of an endless cycle doesn't work for the games. You can change the course of the relighting the eternal flame by choosing not to, making all subsequent games meaningless. All subsequent games are supposed to be a continuation of the flame being relit, however the second game takes place nowhere where the first game was, and the third game is some spatial distorted version of the first game in a way that makes no sense how it is the way it is. There's aspects of the multiverse thrown in, which isn't how the multiverse functions at all, and the moment time travel is present, everything goes to dung. In the end, it is just a game to have fun with, with a pointless confusing story to add intrigue where there is no actual meaning (remember time travel, and multiverse). The game design for story is overall bad given the content, and the content is bad for being a video game trying to tell a story, let alone be a fun game for anyone to enjoy (needless inflated/faked difficulty). This in no way reflects how much fun I had cheesing the game. I didn't exactly enjoy the excessive amount of work I needed to put into the game, which were additionally clunky/janky and cheap to get access to aspects of the game that were worthwhile for me; exploration, and lore as the combat eventually wore thin given the unfun grindy nature it was with endless backtracking. I therefore took it upon myself to max out my character with whatever cheats/hacks I could do in order to enjoy the combat (so it wasn't a slog), and complete the game. The faked difficulty of a the game outwore its welcome when I would see the same content for days on end. I did this for Demon's Souls (after many days of grinding I restarted and exploited to get OP), and I did this with Dark Souls once to play it through at least once (and have played it several more times without cheating but not to completion). Dark Souls 2 I ground the game the long way, and stopped playing after failing to beat an optional boss who has the most stupid reach, damage output and ease to hit a character without actually hitting them. I could beat that game by ignoring this boss, but I was adamant to get the king's crown, and it basically killed all interest for completing the game. I've partially played DS3, mostly because it's the same stuff that I've been doing in DS1, DS2, Demon's Souls, Nioh, Bloodborne. The genre is just getting tiresome. Nioh I had to grind for weeks to become the most glass cannon OP character I could, and completed the game in all difficulties with that character build. It is wonderful to be as squishy as the enemy. My kind of design practice for this type of game. Bloodborne I got boosted via defeating friends who had maxed their levels. Even with that boost, I was still fodder for Maria, who is very similar in how unfair that optional boss was in DS2. I semi-co-oped that game with friends (probably like half the game). I've replayed it since wanting to do the dungeons which killed my interest for the game entirely. I've completed Lords of the Fallen which I really loved the feel of being this hulking warrior (akin to a chaos warrior from Warhammer Fantasy ) which I also cheated my level up just to get through the entire game (after playing it for days not getting far as the combat got boring). Finally I played Elden Ring, mostly thinking multiplayer was properly implemented this time since it was supposed to be an open world game, yet failed on that side. As I couldn't cheat, I found places to grind up and how to speed up my characters progress to the point I felt comfortable playing with. Most of the issues were multiplayer restrictions, shitty invasion experiences, and terrain interaction with some NPCs (that ice giant boss in particular). Nioh, and Bloodborne I had the most fun with overall (regardless how pathetically vague the "secret" ending to Bloodborne was). In the end, there is no wrong way of playing a game, as long as it is entertaining for those involved.