Elden Ring Director Hidetaka Miyazaki Says Following the Same Rules Would Make FromSoftware Games “Stale”

Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki has explained why FromSoftware does not simply repeat the same design formula across its games. According to the studio president, relying too heavily on established rules could eventually make its games feel predictable and less enjoyable.

Miyazaki discussed FromSoftware’s creative philosophy in an interview with The Guardian while discussing the studio’s upcoming multiplayer title The Duskbloods. His comments help explain why games such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Elden Ring can share recognizable elements while still offering substantially different experiences.

Miyazaki Says FromSoftware Avoids a Fixed Formula

According to Miyazaki, there is no deliberate FromSoftware rulebook dictating how every game should be designed. He explained that repeatedly following the same principles could eventually hurt the creativity that makes the studio’s projects distinctive.

“If you start to do that it becomes stale and conservative,”

Miyazaki told The Guardian.

He added that constantly adhering to the same rules and philosophies means

“you can’t make anything that’s as fun.”

Instead, Miyazaki says the studio focuses on what it finds interesting first when developing a new project. He believes this approach has created a consistent creative identity across FromSoftware’s games without forcing every release to follow identical mechanics or structures.

That philosophy is particularly visible in The Duskbloods. While the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 game retains elements associated with FromSoftware’s combat design, it shifts toward competitive multiplayer, with players forming alliances, fighting enemies and competing against one another.

The approach also helps explain the differences between Elden Ring and Sekiro, despite both being directed by Miyazaki. Elden Ring emphasizes open-world exploration and player freedom, while Sekiro focuses heavily on precision-based sword combat and a more defined progression structure.

Miyazaki’s comments suggest that FromSoftware’s recognizable identity comes less from repeating a formula and more from allowing its developers to pursue ideas they genuinely find compelling.