Many players who have battled through Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Elden Ring used various guides as assistance on their adventure. Chief developer Hidetaka Miyazaki finds this completely legitimate, but he also sees a need for improvement in his own work.
What is the deal with the guides? Anyone who has ever touched a game from FromSoftware knows: There are not many large assistances from the developers here.
You are thrown into foreign worlds that explain little and especially at first cause many question marks. At this point, players split into two camps: those who want to play the game completely blind and without help, and others who rely on guides from the internet or solution books.
Countless guides to bosses, combat systems, items, and last but not least the cryptically told lore help to keep an overview and make it easier to get through the demanding games. On MeinMMO you will find a overview of many practical tips for Elden Ring.
Hidetaka Miyazaki, the chief developer of the games, has his own opinion on guides, which he explained in an interview with PC Gamer.
Guides are legitimate, but not ideal
What does Miyazaki say? The creative mind behind the Soulsborne games is of course aware that fans of his works turn to guides.
Of course, players will refer to guides, and there will be a wealth of information on the internet and in their communities where they have access to the secrets and strategies. We expect that.
Hidetaka Miyazaki via PC Gamer
Nevertheless, FromSoftware does not attempt to counter this trend and develop even more complicated games. On the contrary: according to Miyazaki, Elden Ring and Co. should indeed be playable without guides.
“We are not making or planning anything with that prerequisite. If anything, we try to cater to the player who is completely blind and wants to progress naturally.”
Hidetaka Miyazaki via PC Gamer
In an ideal case, it should indeed be possible to play Elden Ring without guides. If you fail at that, it is not your fault. If someone starts without help and cannot succeed in their game, according to Miyazaki, “there is still room for improvement on our part.” Blind players are to be integrated even more strongly in the future.
Do you need guides for the DLC? The upcoming expansion Shadow of the Erdtree will again lead many fans to guides. After all, the DLC is aimed at endgame players.
But that is precisely the reason for Miyazaki to trust players to discover the new secrets for themselves. The challenges of the DLC, which already emerged during the first playthrough, especially in the form of tough bosses, should be conquerable without guides.
Those who have (inevitably) battled through the main game are well equipped and bringing enough experience to complete the expansion without help, says Miyazaki. Do you use guides yourself or do you play completely blind? To even access the DLC, you must defeat two bosses from the main game – one of which around 60% of all players have still not defeated.
