Sony and Tencent buy 30% stake in 'Elden Ring' maker FromSoftware

Dark Souls (FromSoftware's most recognizable action role-playing series), "Bloodborne" and "Sekiro Shadows Die Twice" are all brutally punishing games. Despite this, the studio's work is widely cited as a major influence on dozens of other titles such as "Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order," "God of War" and "The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt." Many gamers and critics have asked FromSoftware to add difficulty settings to its games; the studio has steadfastly refused so far. FromSoftware's award-winning creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki said that the uniformly intense challenge in his games is meant to provide players with a sense of accomplishment. This polarizing design philosophy has won FromSoftware a devoted following -- but also a small cadre of detractors who have described the company's games as alienating.