Elden Ring Director Insists FromSoftware Is Free to Make the Games It Wants To
Hidetaka Miyazaki, the creative mind behind Dark Souls and Elden Ring, has addressed concerns about shareholder pressure on FromSoftware. In a recent statement, Miyazaki reassured fans that the studio is free to create the kinds of games it wants, without excessive interference from external parties. This comes amid growing interest in the future of FromSoftware, which is owned by Kadokawa, a Japanese multimedia conglomerate currently facing activist investment pressure.
Kadokawa has been in the spotlight recently after an investment firm, Oasis Management Company, increased its stake to 13.76%, surpassing Sony’s 11.01% share. Oasis has been vocal about its belief that Kadokawa isn’t fully capitalizing on the value of FromSoftware, which has delivered massive financial success through franchises like Dark Souls, Armored Core, and Elden Ring. These concerns have sparked speculation about how this could affect FromSoftware’s creative direction.
What Activist Investors Want
Oasis Management is not just a financial player—it's an activist investor. These types of investors aim to influence the operations of a company by acquiring a significant stake, usually to improve shareholder returns. In this case, Oasis has pushed for changes at Kadokawa, including the removal of current CEO Takeshi Natsuno, citing financial performance concerns. However, Kadokawa has publicly opposed this proposal.
If a new CEO were to take over, questions arise about whether they might pressure FromSoftware to produce different types of games, monetize its franchises more aggressively, or release games more frequently. These are all concerns for fans who value the studio’s signature gameplay and storytelling.
Miyazaki’s Reassurance
In response to these concerns, Hidetaka Miyazaki emphasized that FromSoftware is in a strong position creatively. While he acknowledged that there may be areas for improvement, he stressed that the studio can continue to make the games it wants without outside interference. “I’m not saying that there’s no room for improvement, but we can freely make the kind of games we want to make without excessive interference,” Miyazaki said in his statement.
He added that the priority for FromSoftware moving forward is to maintain this creative freedom and focus on game development. “The most important thing going forward is to maintain this environment and focus as much as possible on game development,” Miyazaki said.
What’s Next for FromSoftware?
Miyazaki also addressed fans directly, expressing his hope that they will “look forward to both the announced and unannounced titles to come.” While FromSoftware has several projects in the pipeline, including the Elden Ring Tarnished Edition and a new action title called The Duskbloods, the studio has not officially confirmed whether Elden Ring 2 is in the works.
In December 2024, Miyazaki mentioned that FromSoftware was not currently considering a sequel to Elden Ring, but he left the door open for future possibilities. Meanwhile, a Elden Ring movie is reportedly in development, adding to the excitement surrounding the franchise.
With Elden Ring already selling over 30 million copies worldwide, fans are eagerly awaiting what FromSoftware has in store next. Whether it's a sequel, new IP, or something entirely different, the studio remains at the forefront of the action RPG genre.
