Elden Ring Creator: Hardship Is What Gives Meaning to the Experience
He feels apologetic toward anyone frustrated by his games.
Whether you're a fan or not, we can probably all agree that Hidetaka Miyazaki is a master at making challenging video games, to put it mildly.
The Japanese maestro shot to stardom following the 2011 release of Dark Souls, which sold two and a half million copies in eighteen months. Since then, his games have sold close to 30 million copies, and he's not even close to slowing down yet.
In an interview with The New Yorker, video game director Miyazaki says his new game, Elden Ring, was made for people to feel like victory is an attainable feat.
“When I’m playing these games, I think, this is the way I’d want to die — in a way that is amusing or interesting, or that creates a story I can share,” he said.
Miyazaki also said he felt apologetic toward anyone who felt there was too much to overcome in his games.
“I just want as many players as possible to experience the joy that comes from overcoming hardship.”
According to the article, Miyazaki borrowed English fantasy and science fiction books from the local library as he could not afford books of his own. Despite not understanding them, he imagined stories that might accompany the pictures.
He worked at an American IT company before taking a pay cut to join FromSoftware, then an obscure studio based in Tokyo. According to Miyazaki, he was inspired after playing Fumito Ueda’s Ico, which reminded him of the joy of "piecing together a story from snippets of text and mysterious illustrations".
But he rejected notions that his games were inspired by the hardships he faced as a child.
“I wouldn’t say that my life story, to put it in grandiose terms, has affected the way I make games,” he said, adding that a more accurate way to look at it was problem solving.
"We all face problems in our daily lives. Finding answers is always a satisfying thing. But in life, you know, there’s not a lot that gives us those feelings readily.”
Admitting that not every game has to be made for everyone, Miyazaki agreed with the suggestion that a game's difficulty is the creator’s prerogative.
“We are always looking to improve, but, in our games specifically, hardship is what gives meaning to the experience. So it’s not something we’re willing to abandon at the moment. It’s our identity.”
Elden Ring was released on February 25, and IGN already has you covered with our guide that includes everything we already know about Elden Ring's dungeons, bosses, secrets, and more.
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