With the hype surrounding the upcoming return of Hidetaka Miyazaki to the helm of the "Souls" franchise, it seems that this will be the last time that hardcore players will get to experience the series.
In an interview with GameSpot, the FromSoftware head said directly that he considers "Dark Souls 3" to be a closure to the franchise. Miyazaki said, "I don't think it'd be the right choice to continue indefinitely creating 'Souls' and 'Bloodborne' games. I'm considering 'Dark Souls 3' to be the big closure on the series."
Miyazaki also said that the decision for "Dark Souls 3" to be the last one in the franchise is not only for himself, but for the company entirely. After "Dark Souls 3," it is expected that FromSoftware will move on to other titles. Miyazaki added, "That's not just limited to me, From Software and myself together want to aggressively make new things."
Meanwhile, although Miyazaki did make it clear that the third installment will be the last one, another franchise will continue in its stead – the "Bloodborne" series. The current title is set to receive a new expansion, "The Old Hunters," this week.
Some observers think that Miyazaki's decision is a good one. According to TechnoBuffalo, although there are subtle differences among the three games since "Demon Souls" started in 2009, the franchise essentially plays the same, and hardcore fans' interest may wane when presented with more than a trilogy.
In addition, while hardcore fans may notice similarities between "Bloodborne" and "Souls" considering that they came from the same mold, the two franchises' design and gameplay differences far outnumber their likenesses, and players will consider "Bloodborne" as an entirely new series and will not get tired of the new franchise.
"Dark Souls 3" is set to release on March 24, 2016.
