To no one’s surprise, Shadow of the Erdtreethe first and only expansion of ELDEN RING, it is an extremely difficult experience that has already brought green gray hair to a sector of the community. Although die-hard fans are happy with the high difficultythere are those who believe that FromSoftware crossed the line. Now, a member of Arrowhead Game Studios has come to the defense of the open-world game.
ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree received widespread praise from critics, and currently boasts an incredible average score of 95 on Metacritic. Consequently, it is already the highest-rated release of 2024, above Final Fantasy VII Rebirth and other notable titles.
However, community opinions were more mixed. Right now, the fantasy game’s expansion has mixed reviews on Steam as players express their discontent over the high difficulty. One user even created a mod that makes the adventure much easier.
The question here is:FromSoftware Should the challenge level be lowered to appeal to a broader audience? Arrowhead Game Studios’ Johan Pilestedt disagrees.
Related video: Why is ELDEN RING so successful?
“A game for everyone is a game for no one”, Johan Pilestedt defends ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree
On social networks, the user Rurikhan came to the defense of ELDEN RING and argued that FromSoftware doesn’t design the game or the bosses to be difficult for no reason. He assures that the goal, ultimately, is for the player to feel satisfaction when overcoming obstacles.
Johan Pilestedtcreative director of the successful Helldivers 2responded to that comment and agreed. In a post, he claimed that “good game design evokes emotions more than anything else.” Naturally, more people joined the conversation and contributed their views.
“The problem with this design philosophy is that it only caters to a select audience. I tried Dark Souls, and after beating the first 2 bosses I realized it wasn’t fun or rewarding. I only felt relief, not satisfaction,” argued one user on X. “A game for everyone is a game for no one. “It always serves a select audience,” responded the Arrowhead Game Studios developer.
Johan Pilestedt emphasizes that, today more than ever, the gaming industry is large and varied enough to offer a large number of exciting experiences to all types of audiences. Although he believes that ELDEN RING: Shadow of the Erdtree It is not that complicated, recognize that it demands patience and concentration.
In a recent interview, Hidetaka Miyazakidirector of ELDEN RING and head of FromSoftware, defended the high difficulty and argued that the game wouldn’t work if it were easier.
But tell us, do you agree with the statements of the director of Helldivers 2Do you think the DLC is too unfair? Do you think angry fans are overreacting? Tell us in the comments.
Visit this page to find more information about ELDEN RING.
Related video: ELDEN RING and the story of its creators: FromSoftware
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