FromSoftware

FromSoftware was founded as a productivity software developer in Tokyo, Japan, on November 1, 1986. Their first video game did not come until 1994, when they released King's Field as a launch title for the PlayStation.[2] The game did not see a release in North America, although a 1995 sequel would later be released in North America bearing the same title, which was released as King's Field II in Japan. After releasing a third title in that series, FromSoftware moved on to release Echo Night as well as Shadow Tower in 1998. IGN would later note that the latter was "effectively a King's Field follow-up" as it shared many of the gameplay conventions with it. Also during this time FromSoftware would release Armored Core, the first in a mech game series which would go on to spawn many sequels.[3] The making of Armored Core solidified the company's development skills, and in July 1999, they released the multiplayer action game Frame Gride for the Sega Dreamcast.[4]

When the PlayStation 2 was launched in 2000, FromSoftware supported the system with the two RPGs Eternal Ring, which like the King's Field series is a first person RPG, and Evergrace, a more conventional action RPG viewed from a third person perspective.[3] In addition to these titles, FromSoftware published Tenchu: Wrath of Heaven, a stealth game that combines action and adventure elements.[4] The company also released a pair of sequels to their PlayStation 1 offerings with King's Field IV and Shadow Tower Abyss.[3] FromSoftware also released the Lost Kingdoms titles for the Gamecube, a competing sixth generation console.[3] IGN would note however that during this generation FromSoftware's focus would shift from RPGs to mech games due in part to the success of the Armored Core series. In 2002, FromSoftware released the mech action game Murakumo: Renegade Mech Pursuit for the Xbox before entering the mobile game market, where they released another King's Field title.[4] In 2004, they released another Xbox title, Metal Wolf Chaos. In 2005, FromSoftware would start to produce a series of licensed games based on the various anime properties under the banner Another Century's Episode.[3] In the same year, the company hosted the video game industry's first internship that let students experience game development through a game creation kit, Adventure Player, for the PlayStation Portable.[4] In 2008, FromSoftware underwent a stock split before entering the Nintendo Wii market to release Tenchu: Shadow Assassins.[4]

In April 2014, Kadokawa Corporation announced its intention to purchase the company from former shareholder Transcosmos. The deal was finalized on May 21, 2014.[5] In December 2015, FromSoftware was nominated for developer of the year at The Game Awards 2015, but lost to CD Projekt Red.[6] In January 2016, FromSoftware added a new studio in Fukuoka that focuses on creating computer-generated imagery (CGI) assets for their games.[7][8]

With fifteen games developed, the Armored Core series is the studio's longest running franchise. The most recent title, Armored Core: Verdict Day, was released worldwide in September 2013 for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Earlier, less notable outside Japan, titles include the Enchanted Arms, King's Field, Chromehounds, Otogi, and Tenchu series, all of which have been met with mostly favorable reviews.

In 2009, they released Demon's Souls for the PlayStation 3, which brought them international exposure. Its spiritual successor, Dark Souls, was released in 2011. In March 2014, Dark Souls II, was released, while Dark Souls III was released in 2016.[9] A title inspired by the Souls series, Bloodborne, was released in March 2015. The Souls series, along with Bloodborne, received widespread critical acclaim, as well as strong sales domestically and internationally.[10][11][12] They have also received a number of awards, primarily those for the role-playing genre, including multiple "RPG of the Year" and Game of the Year awards.[13][14][15][16] Since release, Dark Souls and Bloodborne have been cited by many publications to be among the greatest games of all time.[17][18][19]

In April 2016, FromSoftware revealed that they were working on a new intellectual property, as well as stating their intent to return to the Armored Core series.[20] Two games, the PlayStation VR exclusive Déraciné and the multiplatform Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, were announced at E3 2018.[21][22] At E3 2019, an action role-playing game featuring the collaboration of FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki and A Song of Ice and Fire series author George R. R. Martin was announced, titled Elden Ring.[23]

FromSoftware is known for releasing highly difficult titles, notably the Souls series, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, that lack difficulty settings.[25] FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki justified the lack of difficulty settings, stating, "We don't want to include a difficulty selection because we want to bring everyone to the same level of discussion and the same level of enjoyment. So we want everyone...to first face that challenge and to overcome it in some way that suits them as a player. We want everyone to feel that sense of accomplishment. We want everyone to feel elated and to join that discussion on the same level. We feel if there's different difficulties, that's going to segment and fragment the user base. People will have different experiences based on that [differing difficulty level]. This is something we take to heart when we design games. It's been the same way for previous titles and it's very much the same with Sekiro."[25]

• Official website