It's easy to look at Bloodborne now and see the masterpiece gamers realized they were dealing with once the game released about six months ago. The spiritual successor to the Dark Souls series was met with adoration from critics and fans alike, and Sony has already confirmed they're working on a Bloodborne expansion. All things considered, From Software's gothic take on monster hunting is a rousing success.
The gaming business is fickle, though, and the formula that worked a few years ago might not hold up under the test of time, especially if it's in an entirely new setting. As Sony Computer Entertainment Worldwide Studios president Shuhei Yoshida revealed in an interview with Eurogamer at EGX 2015, nothing about Bloodborne indicated it was a sure thing.
In the interview, Yoshida discussed how betting on a game like Bloodborne so early in the PS4's life cycle was a huge risk, and that From Software might not have been able to justify creating the game if it weren't for Sony stepping in to support their decision. Yoshida discussed how his relationship with From Software's Hidetaka Miyazaki's works, stating:
"Sometimes [Miyazaki] might want to do something risky for [From Software] - in that case, we might have a chance of working with us. That was the case for Bloodborne."
Yoshida was quick to point out that Miyazaki and From Software are more than happy to work with SCE Worldwide Studios, elaborating:
"[Bloodborne] was a quite large development effort...we have great relationships, and because of the nature of them being publishers and developers, it's a unique relationship."
Luckily for From Software and Sony, the gamble paid off, and Bloodborne has established a large fan base just as fervently dedicated to the franchise as those devoted to Dark Souls. After all, Bloodborne still possess the same kind of sadistic relationship with its players that Dark Souls does, going out of its way to punish the smallest mistakes from gamers. From Software has even gone as far as to offer a PS4 theme exclusively to those who earn Bloodborne's platinum trophy, which is no small task.
The response for Bloodborne has made everyone involved in the games development very pleased, and Yoshida is especially enthused. When asked if he wanted to work with From Software again, Yoshida replied "absolutely", adding that he hopes to continue to work with them for some time. That should make fans happy, as the possibility The Old Hunters is just the start of additional Bloodborne content is a much less risky proposition than the game's initial creation.
Do you think Sony should take more risks on the games they're releasing for the PS4? What's your idea of a surefire success in the gaming industry? Let us know in the comments below.
Bloodborne is currently available for the PS4, and its expansion, The Old Hunters, will release on November 24.