The person behind the incredibly successful Elden Ring, Hidetaka Miyazaki, recently opened up about the inspiration which he draws from multiplayer games and how they influence his approach to game design. Miyazaki mentioned Escape from Tarkov in particular.
The news comes from an interview conducted earlier this month by IGN. "I'm not really sure whether this is the latest trend, but the multiplayer elements that in terms of both technology and the game designs, we keep updating," Miyazaki remarked. "So, I'm really interested in that as one of the fans and one of the creators. Especially speaking of Escape from Tarkov for example.” The designer added that “I'm basically paying attention to those elements as a creator and fan of the game.”
Miyazaki has been interested in how other developers make use of multiplayer elements, but the designer has also been paying close attention to the way that players participate in creating the overall experience. This of course finds a reflection in Elden Ring through features like invasions and messages.
"Other folks in the industry, they keep updating multiplayer network functionality and the game design in order to change the way that the players are involved in the gameplay and how the players are used as one of the resources for the gameplay,” Miyazaki noted. “So, that's why I'm paying attention to these elements."
The interest taken by Miyazaki in multiplayer games like Escape from Tarkov suggests that he will continue to push the boundaries of what is currently possible, creating experiences that are both challenging and engaging for players. When it comes to his latest release, Miyazaki however explained that its breakout success will have no impact on his approach to game design. "Obviously, Elden Ring is a commercial success," the designer said. "Everybody's aware about that, but it doesn't really affect what we are going to create next. We basically keep creating the game that we want to create and that's our policy. It's very simple.”