Summary
- Bloodborne remains a relic of PlayStation's past, with no modern port, remaster, or sequel in sight.
- The lack of modern adaptations for Bloodborne contrasts with the trend of reviving older games before releasing sequels for popular franchises.
- A potential PC port or remaster could provide temporary relief, but may also heighten the demand for a sequel that may never come.
Bloodborne is only getting farther from its initial release and, without any indication of it receiving a modern port, remaster, remake, or sequel, it’s become a relic of PlayStation’s past console generation. Not every game ever made has received its own modern adaptation, to be fair, but while PlayStation-exclusive PC ports, remasters, and remakes have grown incessantly popular it is clear that Sony is likely hanging onto Bloodborne for a particularly inclement or opportunistic day.
That may or may not end up coinciding with the launch of the PS6 in the future, hopefully as a wholesale remake on the level of Bluepoint’s Demon’s Souls or an actual sequel. A PC port or a frame rate patch for Bloodborne is all that some of the FromSoftware community has ever asked for, and yet after having to wait at least a decade it would be terribly disappointing to only have Bloodborne updated, ported, or remastered, especially if FromSoftware doesn’t have any plans to develop more games within its one-off cosmic horror IP.
Bloodborne Shouldn’t Be Touched Unless More is Sure to Come
Common nowadays is the trend of dropping a port or remaster of a game, no matter how old or outdated, in an effort to gain an audience and excitement toward that IP before an inevitable sequel arrives. This was most recently true of how Remedy approached its Alan Wake revival, announcing and releasing a remaster for the 2010 cult classic shortly before revealing a survival-horror sequel.
PlayStation’s big first-party franchises like Marvel’s Spider-Man, God of War, Horizon, and Ghost of Tsushima have all now had their own ports for PC, too, which illustrates the investments made in them continuing to be successful and popular. Sequels for these franchises are all but guaranteed as a result, and the fact that Bloodborne still hasn’t received anything of that ilk might perfectly demonstrate how little chance there may be that a sequel is ever developed.
Plus, it isn’t as if playing Bloodborne exclusively at 30fps on PS5 is egregious, but current industry fads make it seem possible that any game could be remastered on a whim and Bloodborne is so beloved now that seeing more of that dark, Gothic landscape would be highly thrilling.
A Bloodborne Port or Remaster Would Only Be an Ephemeral Balm
If it’s true that a sequel will never be something FromSoftware wants to tackle, though, a PC port or remaster could help offer some temporary relief. Bloodborne arguably isn’t old enough yet to be considered outdated in terms of its graphics or gameplay, leaving only a frame rate patch as the single upgrade the game could viably take advantage of.
Indeed, Dark Souls’ own remaster was released long after the last Dark Souls installment was already out, and therefore it isn’t impossible to assume Bloodborne could have its own in the future even if no immediate plans for a sequel are made. Unfortunately, all a Bloodborne port or remaster might achieve is reinvigorating the FromSoftware community and creating an even greater demand for Bloodborne 2. Players might infer that a great enough outcry for more Bloodborne was how a PC port or remaster came about, and not ever seeing a sequel arrive thereafter could make for an even more ravenous response.
If a remake was to appear instead, that would justify its current-gen presence with graphical and gameplay enhancements and a sequel ever being announced afterward would be a colossal cherry on top. Each year that passes puts players and FromSoftware further from Bloodborne and year after year it may be more difficult to justify only receiving a PC port or remaster when Bloodborne either deserves far more or to be left alone.
Bloodborne
- Released
- March 24, 2015
WHERE TO PLAY
Hunt your nightmares as you search for answers in the ancient city of Yharnam, now cursed with a strange endemic illness spreading through the streets like wildfire. Danger, death and madness lurk around every corner of this dark and horrific world, and you must discover its darkest secrets in order to survive.
A Terrifying New World: Journey to a horror-filled gothic city where deranged mobs and nightmarish creatures lurk around every corner.
Strategic Action Combat: Armed with a unique arsenal of weaponry, including guns and saw cleavers, you'll need wits, strategy and reflexes to take down the agile and intelligent enemies that guard the city's dark secrets.
A New Generation of Action RPG: Stunningly detailed gothic environments, atmospheric lighting, and advanced new online experiences showcase the power and prowess of the PlayStation(R)4 system.
Ever-changing Chalice Dungeons to Explore: Use holy chalices to gain entrance to a network of vast underground ruins, filled with traps, beasts, and rewards, to explore and conquer alone or with others. These procedurally generated dungeons offer brand new challenges to master, and can be uploaded or shared with friends.
- ESRB
- M for Mature: Blood and Gore, Violence
- Developer(s)
- From Software
- Publisher(s)
- Sony
- Platform(s)
- PlayStation 4
- How Long To Beat
- 33 Hours
- PS Plus Availability
- Extra & Premium
