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Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behindBloodborne,Dark Souls, andElden Ring, has become one of the most influential figures in modern gaming. His work and vision have reshaped modern gaming and pushed FromSoftware to the forefront of the industry. From Demon’s Souls to Dark Souls to Bloodborne, he is the reason why the Soulsborne genre exists.
What sets Miyazaki apart is not just the fact that he can make these challenging games but the unique influences that shaped his journey. From tabletop RPGs to his restricted access to video games in his youth, each step of his journey has brought us the man he is today.
Hidetaka Miyazaki Didn’t Even Game as a Kid!
Unlike many game designers, Miyazaki’s journey did not begin with video games. Restricted from playing them as a child, he instead turned to books and tabletop role-playing games (TTRPGs) likeSorceryandDungeons and Dragons.
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Speaking toIGNback in 2015, he talked about just how these off-screen influences played a part in imagination and eventual creative vision.
Growing up, as a kid, I loved to read. I liked to read books that were above my range. Because I was so young, I couldn’t read TOO deep into them. Maybe I would understand half of the story? What would happen is that my imagination would help fill the other half, and that imagination element would just blow up.
The way that his mind would interpret and expand on what he read directly influenced his approach to designing games. FromSoft’s games are filled to the brim with lore,but it’s usually mysteriousand hard to find and often requires you to fill the gaps with your own perspectives.
That’s kind of the part I enjoyed as well, filling the gaps of where I didn’t understand the readings, where my imagination took me eventually to think that I understood what I was reading.
As for him being influenced bySorcery, there’s a deeper element to that as well. To Miyazaki, It wasn’t a video game, but its mechanics and storytelling resonated deeply with him.
Growing up, I was restricted at home from playing video games until I reached University. There was a board game called Sorcery which is one of my favorites and I would often revisit the game.
The strategic complexity and cooperative elements of TTRPGs likeSorcerywere the foundations of the ideas that he would later put into FromSoftware’s iconic titles.
FromSoft’s Household Style Is Iconic Because of Miyazaki
The creation ofBloodbornewas a turning point for Miyazaki and FromSoftware. Made after the completion ofDark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition, the gothic horror aesthetic and gameplay mechanics ofBloodbornewere things Miyazaki already had in mind.
Drawing from historical events like the Black Plague and a setting eerily similar to Victorian London, Miyazaki created a world that felt familiar but dangerous. And boy did it work,Bloodborneis one of if not the biggest hit from Miyazaki. In fact,it might be getting a PS5 upgrade soon, stay tuned for that.
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Miyazaki’s games are often characterized by their unforgiving difficulty, which he defends as central to the player experience. According to him, the challenge and the feeling of overcoming it are the biggest part of the games. He has made so many big hits that players candebate for hours while deciding which is the best among them.
Miyazaki’s journey highlights the importance of diverse experiences in creative work. His unique background, shaped by literature, tabletop RPGs, and even his restriction from video games, allowed him to approach game design from the perspective that we now know and love.
His work will continue to inspire players and developers and remind us that the hardest challenges often lead to the biggest victories.
Daniel Royte
Gaming Writer
Articles Published :1368
As part of the FandomWire team, Daniel has followed the hero-shooter genre closely with a focus on titles like VALORANT, Apex Legends, and Marvel Rivals. You can also find him providing insight on the latest AAA titles from Elden Ring to GTA 6 and exploring the world of gacha games like Genshin Impact and Wuthering Waves. With more than 1,000 articles under his belt, you’ll need to look no further for a unique insight into every situation.If he’s not looking for the latest video game news, you’ll find him cheering on Ferrari in the race tracks of Formula 1 or at the theatres for the latest MCU releases.
