Demon's Souls First-Person Prototype Unearthed from 2007 Presentation
A remarkable piece of gaming history has surfaced thanks to a dedicated FromSoftware sleuth: prototype footage of Demon's Souls dating back to a 2007 presentation, making it the earliest known footage of the game to date. The clip reveals that FromSoftware was experimenting with a first-person camera mode during early development, a feature that was ultimately scrapped before the game shipped. The prototype, which some fans have already dubbed "Demon's Field," offers a fascinating glimpse into a version of the Souls formula that could have looked very different from the third-person action RPG the world came to know and love.
Beyond the first-person perspective, the footage also surfaces unused enemies that never made it into the final release, raising intriguing questions about how the game, and by extension the entire Souls lineage, might have evolved had those early design choices been retained. Fan reactions have been effusive, with one commenter describing the experience of watching the footage as "like watching the Mona Lisa being painted." While the discovery is undeniably exciting, most observers agree that FromSoftware made the right call pivoting away from the first-person approach, as the series' iconic over-the-shoulder combat and world design are now considered inseparable from its identity.
Key Insights
- 1The newly discovered footage is believed to be the earliest known video of Demon's Souls, originating from a 2007 development presentation.
- 2The prototype featured a first-person camera mode that was fully scrapped before the game's final release.
- 3Unused enemies visible in the footage hint at a significantly different early vision for the game and potentially the entire Souls series.
- 4The discovery was made by a dedicated FromSoftware researcher, continuing a tradition of community-led archival sleuthing around the studio's history.
- 5Fan and press consensus suggests that while the prototype is historically fascinating, FromSoftware's decision to move away from first-person was ultimately the right one.
Sources
FromSoftware sleuth unearths earliest footage of Demon's Souls to date: A prototype with a first person camera mode
PC Gamer · 7h ago
Newly Discovered Demon's Souls Prototype Footage Shows Scrapped First-Person Option
IGN · 8h ago
Unearthed Demon's Souls Prototype Footage Reveals FromSoftware's Original First-Person Take On The Souls Formula
Kotaku · 9h ago
Rare Demon's Souls prototype shows off first-person perspective, unused enemies that could have rewritten Dark Souls history: "Like watching the mona lisa being painted"
GamesRadar · 9h ago
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