Elden Ring's success will be tough to follow up, but if there's ever been a talented team to rise to the challenge, it's FromSoftware, and studio head Hidetaka Miyazaki has already confirmed the next game to be in its final stages of development. Miyazaki's "almost ideal" game, Elden Ring, has certainly earned its spot amongst the best games of the decade, but it's already apparent that FromSoftware is looking to the future. New projects are in development, but it's still unclear what they might be.
FromSoftware, a company originally started in Tokyo, Japan for the creation of business application software, released its first game, King's Field, in 1994. Since the studio's first video game launch, it has released a title every year (sometime multiple), at least until the relesae of Elden Ring, it's latest. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice launched in March of 2019, but Elden Ring didn't come until February of 2022 - about three years later. FromSoftware confirmed multiple new projects are in the works that are going to be released within the coming years. If the studio follows a consistent release schedule as it has in the past, the gaming community could see a new release next year. If it's anywhere near as big a project as Elden Ring, early 2024 might be a more accurate estimate, but either way, the next game is in its final stages of development despite its name having remained a mystery until now.
With the information currently available in the mainstream, it's difficult to pinpoint an exact title or sequel that might follow Elden Ring. However, there are certain releases that can, given the information provided by Miyazaki and other leaks, be ruled out for the next upcoming FromSoftware launch. Recently, rumors have begun surfacing from alleged insiders, and if they're accurate, they provide a reasonable case for a classic franchise to follow the company's hit Elden Ring.
Dark Souls & Bloodborne Sequels Are Unlikely To Follow Elden Ring
Dark Souls, FromSoftware's best-known game series, is out of the question for the next release. This should come as no surprise either because Hidetaka Miyazaki already stated in 2017 that Dark Souls 3 wrapped up the trilogy, and, at least for the near future, the series was over. Also, observing what the studio has done in the past, it hasn't typically picked back up on series that've reached the climax; usually there is a period of waiting before a continuation is confirmed. However, this doesn't necessarily mean there won't ever be another Dark Souls game, as there's still a lot of potential for story development. Even so, it's unlikely it would be the next release, or even that it would be coming anytime soon. FromSoftware could use this waiting period to continue remastering older Dark Souls games, just as in 2018, or the studio could continue working on new content while focusing on bringing new life to older projects.
Bloodborne is also another dearly beloved FromSoftware game that doesn't look like it'll be following Elden Ring. The standalone game released in 2015 as a PlayStation exclusive has indeed been a highly anticipated and requested title to receive a sequel. Bloodborne's bosses may be FromSoftware's best combat creations, so it's understandable that a sequel seems like a natural progression. Unfortunately, alleged insider Onipotent has stated they've not heard of any information about a Bloodborne sequel - or even a PC port of the original. If these claims have any truth to them, it not only looks like a Bloodborne title won't be the next release, but the series might be done for good while Miyazaki is president of FromSoftware. There's always still a chance, as insider leaks are often far from reliable, which could leave the door open for future development, but it remains unlikely it would be the game to follow Elden Ring.
FromSoftware's Next Game After Elden Ring May Be Armored Core 6
Given the current readily available information, speculation and prediction has it that the next Armored Core game is in line to be FromSoftware's next release. While neither Miyazaki or any other studio developer has officially confirmed this, recent 2022 leaks show Armored Core 6 is the game that's in the final stages of development at FromSoftware. Red Liquorice claimed, on January 8, to have done a consumer survey regarding a new Armored Core game. The individual didn't mention a title name, so there's no indication of whether it would pick the series back up from Armored Core 5 (2012) or - if the leaks are true - continue to expand on the brand in a different fashion, such as a standalone title or the beginning to a brand-new narrative and thematic thread for the series. Regardless, a new Armored Core game seems believable because it's been nearly a decade since the last one was published.
Relying on the alleged ResetEra leaks, the consumer survey screenshots highlighted ground-breaking details about the supposed Armored Core game in development. In the past, FromSoftware's Armored Core games weren't Soulslike because it was an entirely separate franchise that predated Dark Souls, which means a new one would give players a much-needed break from the more recent titles such as Sekiro and Elden Ring. Although Armored Core hasn't traditionally been Soulslike in nature, it could even take inspiration from FromSoftware's later releases, possibly not venturing too far from the studio's formula of painstakingly difficult bosses and enemies as evidenced by the survey's supposed text, "challenging battles with tough enemies." In addition to the short- and long-range combat, information about the name of the world and the main story conflict is provided. Until further confirmation, however, these claims should be taken lightly. Currently, Red Liquorice's post is the best lead to predict what's coming next after Elden Ring.
To recap, the FromSoftware title that will follow the most anticipated game of 2022, Elden Ring, is still shrouded in mystery, but the best prediction is a new Armored Core that could launch as early as 2023 - following the studio's yearly release schedule. FromSoftware is putting a hold or the Dark Souls series, as stated by Miyazaki himself, and it also looks like it's not working on anything related to Bloodborne, which includes the anticipated PC port too. However, time may tell a different story, and the gaming community could see a Bloodborne sequel or even something as wild as a new Metal Wolf Chaos to follow the masterpiece that is Elden Ring.
Sources: Onipotent/ResetEra, Red Liquorice/ResetEra