Fans Rally for Yharnam Return on Bloodborne's 10th Anniversary

Today marks the 10th anniversary of Bloodborne, FromSoftware's iconic PlayStation 4 title that launched on March 24, 2015. Fans are commemorating this milestone by organizing another "Return to Yharnam" community event, highlighting the enduring love for the game. Bloodborne not only solidified FromSoftware's reputation as a premier game developer but also garnered widespread critical and commercial success, leaving fans eager for more.

Despite the clamor for a follow-up, be it a current-gen remaster, a sequel, or even a next-gen update to enable 60fps gameplay, Sony has remained silent on the matter. This lack of action continues to baffle the gaming community, given the game's popularity and the industry's trend of remastering successful titles.

Earlier this year, Shuhei Yoshida, a PlayStation legend who has since left Sony, offered some insight into the situation during an interview with Kinda Funny Games. Yoshida emphasized that his thoughts were purely speculative and not based on insider knowledge. He theorized that Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behind FromSoftware and Bloodborne, might be reluctant to let others work on the game without his direct involvement due to his deep personal attachment to it. Yoshida suggested that Miyazaki's busy schedule and success with other projects, like the critically acclaimed Elden Ring, could be contributing factors to the lack of progress on Bloodborne.

Miyazaki has indeed been occupied with directing multiple high-profile projects post-Bloodborne, including Dark Souls 3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring. He has also mentioned in interviews that FromSoftware does not own the Bloodborne IP, which complicates potential developments. However, last year, Miyazaki acknowledged that the game could benefit from being updated for modern hardware.

In the absence of official updates, fans have taken matters into their own hands. Modders have attempted to enhance the original PS4 experience, but these efforts have met with resistance from Sony. For example, Lance McDonald, known for his 60fps mod, received a takedown notice from Sony, and Lilith Walther's projects, including Nightmare Kart and the Bloodborne PSX demake, faced copyright claims.

Recent advancements in PS4 emulation have allowed fans to experience Bloodborne at 60fps on PC, a development covered by Digital Foundry. This breakthrough prompted speculation about Sony's response, though the company has not commented on the matter.

As official developments remain elusive, fans continue to celebrate Bloodborne through community events like the "Return to Yharnam" initiative, which encourages players to create new characters, summon cooperators and invaders, and engage with the game's world in new ways. On this 10th anniversary, the community's dedication to keeping the spirit of Bloodborne alive is more evident than ever.

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