Demon's Souls is evidence enough not only of the PS5's power and graphical fidelity but most importantly of Bluepoint Games' devotion to experiences of yesteryear.
From Uncharted: The Nathan Drake Collection to Shadow of the Colossus, the Austin-based developer has proven itself as the master of the remaster (and remake). The manages to perfectly straddle the line between respecting the original work and adding some surprises of its own, best witnessed in the new secret door in Demon's Souls.
Yet, with the recent unveiling of Demon's Souls, one question now remains: what could be next for Bluepoint Games?
Full Metal Gear Series Remake
Well before the announcement of Demon's Souls, Bluepoint Games was believed to be working on a Metal Gear Solid HD remake, as YouTuber YoungYea related in a now two-year-old video.
Then, there's the recently-Tweeted cheeky response made by Bluepoint targeting the Demon's Souls community in their quest to unlock the game's newly added door. Of main importance was that seemingly subtle line: "Symphony of rumors," which references a previous Tweet posted by the developer a year prior. In their think-piece Reddit post, one user named Halit-Tumenci highlights these very similarities while also drawing into question that oh-so-familiar sound of Metal Gear REX in the Nexus of Demon's Souls.
While nowhere near a solid confirmation, both the sound coupled with the myriad rumors suggest Bluepoint could very well be hiding something. Whether it's a cardboard box or yet another experience remains clouded in mystery, but given its work on 2012's Metal Gear Solid HD Collection, there's some weighty potential for a next-gen Solid Snake return.
Next-Generation Castlevania
That very same Tweet of Bluepoint's from last year also made reference to another video game classic ripe for remastering: Castlevania - more specifically, Symphony of the Night. Released on the original PlayStation system in 1997, Castlevania: Symphony of the Night was met with immediate adoration for its blending of RPG puzzle-platforming elements with a seemingly open-environment, but how would this 2D experience work on the PS5?
Relayed on the Castlevania subreddit, a 4Chan thread headed by a supposed Konami employee proposes a Bloodborne-esque Castlevania remake. In their own words: "Castlevania. Full reboot. Shutaro Iida x Koji Igarashi x Sony Japan project. Very Bloodborne style. I think more like as Lords of Shadow. Not 2d. PS5 exclusive." The anonymous leaker also notes in the opening lines that: "Sony wants to buy franchises such as Metal Gear, Silent Hill, and Castlevania."
Given Microsoft's $7.5 billion acquisition of Bethesda, it would make sense for Sony to combat this deal with something extraordinary, something fans would lose their minds over. While 4Chan leaks should be taken with a truckload of salt, this Castlevania PS5 recreation could absolutely work in Sony's favor, but where - and if - Bluepoint is involved at all remains unclear.
Bloodborne PS5 Remaster
Speaking of Bloodborne, fans have been long clamoring for a sequel since its release all the way back in 2015. Bluepoint obviously would have nothing to do with that, given it would go immediately to FromSoftware and its talented team, but what about a PS5 Bloodborne Remaster? The original experience, which is capped at a mere 30fps even on Sony's next-generation hardware, begs for a solid polishing and restoration. And, while claims that Sony will patch Bloodborne to 60fps 4K on PS5 with "enough demand" persist, it's clear the demand is there. It's more so now a question of Sony's willingness.
Even Jason Schreier admits the oddity on Sony's part for seemingly ignoring this FromSoft classic, claiming in his Triple Click podcast that various rumors of a remaster have been circulating. To what end is all but a dream. But a Bluepoint-led Bloodborne Remaster would be both a promising and tantalizing experience, especially if marketed as a PS5-exclusive. With the acclaim it already garnered from Demon's Souls, Bluepoint would absolutely kill it. Rest easy valiant hunters, the night will surely be upon us.
New IP Under Sony Acquisition
Then there's the immediate question of burnout. Maybe Bluepoint Games doesn't want to be typecast as the "remake team", but had long wanted to make a name for itself. Now it certainly has, if not already with the beloved PS4 Shadow of the Colossus Remake. Alone, Bluepoint could certainly churn out a new classic of its own rendition, blending the myriad of lessons learned from previous remakes into one fantastical new and wholly original IP.
The theory stems initially from yet another ResetEra thread hosted by MarsipanRumpan, who gives both angles of a potential acquisition. Stating for Bluepoint, the user writes:
"They want to make sure they get a shot at an original IP, they don't want to be simply the "remake studio" (Even if they make more remakes). While they value and love their independence, they also realize the industry is rapidly growing and evolving. They feel comfortable with their existing partnership with Sony and decided to sell to them."
It wouldn't be too far-fetched at all for Sony to snag Bluepoint, as the aforementioned Bethesda x Microsoft deal is certainly a hard bargain to beat. The question is, then, would Sony want Bluepoint to work on its own new video game, or would it be more so inclined to see said previously-mentioned remakes, or other long-overdue classics from the PlayStation back-catalog?
Long-Forgotten PlayStation Classics
There are a plethora of video games worthy of the Bluepoint treatment, from the original Silent Hill to Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy. The former would definitely be the most beloved of choices for a Bluepoint remake, but that would probably entail Sony having to first buy the Silent Hill IP from Konami - not that it's out of the equation, it's just (unfortunately) unlikely. As for the hilarious action-platforming duo of Jak and Daxter, Sony might be better off just making an intense fourth installment for the series on both the PS5 and PS4.
Two major remade experiences rumored to be in development include Legend of Dragoon and Syphon Filter, both of which would be welcome additions to Bluepoint's long list of remakes. Yet, as super deep cuts, meeting an audience might be relatively difficult for these two games in this day and age in particular, much like the small pool of players who would like to see a Twisted Metal return. Great grabs, but seemingly unlikely.
The sci-fi first-person shooter PS3 series, Resistance, might be a good pick, as well. Maybe combining the entire series into an all-in-one PS5 experience could be promising. Still, I think personally the Bluepoint gold would be best witnessed in beloved franchises, such as Metal Gear, Silent Hill, and Castlevania. Even an all-new IP under Bluiepoint would be interesting.
No matter what the future may hold for Bluepoint Games, I for one will most assuredly be picking up the controller.