Bluepoint Games' next gen remake of Demon's Souls is looking to be a stellar re-invention, but beyond the remake itself, it could have some major implications for the future of the Souls franchise as a whole. Of course, this refers mainly to the Dark Souls series, but includes Bloodborne as well to a certain extent. Though next gen developers are following a trend of releasing new IPs, there are plenty of remasters and remakes in the line up as well. Is there potential the original Dark Souls trilogy could get the remake treatment in a similar manner to the Bluepoint Games' remake?
For those unfamiliar with Bluepoint Games, it is the developer behind the remake of Shadow of the Colossus. This remake was praised for its ability to update the game's graphics and controls while still maintaining the atmosphere and emotional weight which made the original so esteemed. As such, fans are thrilled for its remake of Demon's Souls, as many believe the studio will live up to its name yet again. But in terms of a Dark Souls trilogy remake, there isn't much connection with Bluepoint Games aside from the upcoming remake.
Is Dark Souls Ready For A Remake?
The biggest factor when determining whether a game should be remade is whether or not it's actually outdated. For the most part, there's no reason to remake or even remaster a game that is still readily available and at least somewhat near the day's gaming standards. The original Dark Souls released for PS3 back in 2011, and was remastered for PS4 seven years later in 2018. Dark Souls 2 initially released in 2014, also for PS3, but re-released with all of the DLC included in the Scholar of the First Sin edition a year later (2015) on PS4.
The latest entry in the series is still very fresh, and released in 2016. To this day, gamers are still beating Dark Souls 3 with bananas, guitar hero controllers, and more. Examining the previous games' re-releases, there are two distinct differences between the remasters. The Dark Souls remaster was an overhaul of the game, pushing it forward through seven years of technology to allow it to provide a better experience, whereas the Dark Souls 2 remaster was more of a next gen port than anything. With all of this in mind, Dark Souls 3 certainly doesn't need a remaster to the scale of Dark Souls Remastered, but a next gen port would make a lot of sense and fall in line with the series' history.
Will Bluepoint Games Remake the Dark Souls Trilogy?
Bluepoint Games is in the business of making remakes of beloved classics, but it seems unlikely that it would go so far as to tackle the entire Souls trilogy. The upcoming Demon's Souls remake itself already surprised some fans, but if it shows anything it is that Bluepoint Games plans on being flexible and not tying itself down to any one franchise. If this wasn't the case, it would likely have made a ground up remake of Ico after Shadow of the Colossus.
This isn't to say that it is impossible, as there's no way to predict the future or Bluepoint Games' plans, just that the studio will probably move on to another, more classic title after Demon's Souls. For reference, Shadow of the Colossus released in 2005 for PS2, so Demon's Souls is already a pretty large jump from that as it released in 2009 on PS3. It seems as though the studio plans to bring great titles from the past back into relevance more so than re-releasing already popular and relevant games like Dark Souls 3.
Could From Software Remake The Dark Souls Trilogy?
This is where things get a bit more interesting. It is almost guaranteed that From Software is watching the development of the Demon's Souls remake closely, and it will continue to watch after the game is released. If the game does well, it could even spur the company to take the Souls franchise to the next level. Despite the wishes of die hard fans, this likely won't take the form of a Dark Souls 4 or anything like that, but next gen remakes, remasters, and ports would actually make a lot of sense for the PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Oddly enough, it would likely need to be just that. While Dark Souls Remastered was generally well received, it still was very clear that the game was an early era PS3 game. Likewise, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin edition could not escape its relatively clunky controls, and Dark Souls 3 isn't quite old enough to justify a remaster yet. If From Software were to embark on this endeavor the best thing to do would be to include the three games in one package with a from the ground remake of Dark Souls, a true remaster of Dark Souls 2, and a next gen port type remaster of Dark Souls 3.
When Would Dark Souls Be Remade?
Of course, fans would do well to remember that this is all just speculation, and that From Software has made no announcement about any such plans. If the studio were to remake the games, however, it probably wouldn't be any time soon. From Software is fully committed to Elden Ring at the moment, so until that game releases and runs its course, which could take years, the Dark Souls trilogy probably won't get a lot of attention, much less a full re-release.
That said, a remastered version of next gen port of Dark Souls 3 does seem likely. The game is still relatively new and has a massive following despite From Software's departure from the franchise, and it would only make sense for it to bring it over to the next console to keep the game accessible. At the moment, this is probably the most realistic thing that fans could hope for, but depending on how the Demon's Souls remake performs, there may be more in store for fans in the future than most think.
The Demon's Souls remake is in development for PS5.