FromSoftware teases Dark Souls spiritual sequel and reboot of an existing franchise

Studio president Hidetaka Miyazaki hints Armored Core reboot could be in development.

Dark Souls creator Hidetaka Miyazaki has confirmed that FromSoftware is working on three new projects. The studio's director hinted that two of the three titles are based on new IP, while the remaining game is a reboot of an existing franchise.

Of the new IP, one is referred to as an action RPG with a "dark fantasy setting" similar to that of the Souls series, whereas the other is entirely new and "a bit weird". Miyazaki's comments came from an interview with Japanese site 4Gamer, with translations later gleaned in a NeoGAF thread.

While Miyazaki was typically vague about the projects, his comments indicate that the developer is crafting a pseudo-sequel or spiritual successor to its Souls series, possibly in the vein of its PS4 exclusive Souls-like game, 2015's Bloodborne.

Fans have speculated that the franchise reboot refers to the Armored Core series. The mecha action IP has laid dormant since 2013's Armored Core: Verdict Day, but Miyazaki has frequently expressed his desire to bring the series back since becoming FromSoftware's president in 2014.

Elsewhere in the interview, Miyazaki notes that he would like to oversee the development of a title that brings the mecha and fantasy genres together, and did not deny that one of the three projects would be of this ilk.

Due to his enigmatic nature in interviews, it is worth taking Miyazaki's words with a pinch of salt until we see official confirmation of the trio. However, with the expected retirement of the Dark Souls series following the release of Dark Souls 3's two expansions — with the first, Ashes of Ariandel due in October — it would seem that FromSoftware is keen to freshen up its portfolio in the coming years.