Demon’s Souls, in addition to having a grammatically improper title (unless a single demon possesses several souls), was one of the most polarizing games of the year.  It’s unique death-centric mechanics and innovative online components thrilled many fans, but it’s brutal difficulty, lackluster combat mechanics, and uncompromising structure proved too frustrating for others.  Still, several gaming publications named it their Game of the Year, and hopes were high for a sequel.  Today those hopes were dashed when From Studios announced that there are no plans for a second Demon’s Souls.  At least not yet.

In an interview with The Guardian newspaper, SCE Japan Studio's Takeshi Kajii stated the following when asked if Demon’s Souls would be getting a sequel;

“At the moment, my answer is "no sequel!" However, we have been encouraged by all the players, and this title is so well supported, and besides we like this title so much… Well, this is my own feeling, but I think one day we could bring you another Demon's Souls...”

With From Software slated to work on Armored Core 5, Project Dark, and Steel Battalion: Heavy Armor for the Xbox 360, it’s easy to see why a Demon’s Souls sequel is on their back burner right now.  The original is estimated to have sold a little less than a million copies, for some publishers, that number would basically negate any possibility of a sequel.  For a small publisher like Atlus, though, it’s one of their best-sellers, leading me to question the decision from their end.  I was never a fan of the game, but Atlus has the makings a hit series in Demon’s Souls, and one that has a chance to grow into a tentpole franchise based on good reviews and an extremely loyal fan base.  Hopefully they’ll eventually see the potential, and continue the series.