How does FromSoftware release AAA games so frequently? Elden Ring boss says "we are just blessed with a great staff" that the studio empowers and retains
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While the wait for news on Elden Ring or the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC might've been excruciating for FromSoftware's most dedicated fans, the studio has actually managed to pump out AAA games at a remarkable pace given how beloved every release tends to be. Creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki says the key to success is a well-managed studio filled with developers who are great at what they do and put in the best position for success.
"I don’t know if it’s some great secret," Miyazaki tells IGN, "but generally we are just blessed with a great staff who love to create these games and who are, I think you could say, efficient at creating games." He adds that "we’re able to understand quickly what we want to make and [are] able to make these decisions early on in development. We’re able to iterate and we’re able to leave things on the chopping board. We’re able to go ahead with ideas and a quick pace. We’re able to quickly change and quickly decide on the kind of game we want to make."
FromSoftware's approach to its employees becomes even clearer with some comments from another recent Miyazaki interview, where he was asked about the way layoffs have been battering the game industry. "I think in the face of that struggle and the place where the games industry is right now," Miyazaki said, "I do see this as a time for us to continue to grow and continue to cultivate this talent and continue to release these games for as long as we can."
It's easy to see how keeping experienced developers in place might help FromSoftware's releases stay at their best, especially for a lineage as iterative as that of the Soulsborne games. FromSoftware has had a long road from its roots as a maker of niche cult classics to becoming one of the premiere game studios in the world today, but it seems the company itself knows how to get in position for success.
