From Software’s unique punishment for players who broke Dark Souls’ street date

Find out From Software’s unique way of punishing players who broke the Japanese street date for Dark Souls and decided to play it online prematurely.

[callahan09]

Haha, that's brilliant and awesome!

[RememberThe357]

Honestly I think they're one of the actual creative Japanese devs. I can't even play Demon's Souls because it too damn hard (yeah, yeah f*ck you guys lol), but I've been impressed with their willingness to take risks. They're doing what no one else is doing and everything they do seems to be like that. Awesome.

[n4gisatroll]

It's not even hard lol I beat it 3 times and working on my 4th time. I got it at launch but haven't played in awhile :(

[synchroscheme]

They're very adamant about not following the mainstream trends. They are out to make games that they think are fun and challenging, regardless of what other developers are doing.

[Elyxir-pSx]

Anybody can beat it with a strategy guide. My praise is to those who beat the game without a strategy guide or help.

[darren_poolies]

I absolutely love Demons Souls but I think it's difficulty is overrated and I am one of those people that completed it without a strategy guide or help.

[one2thr]

I've only beaten it once, and yes that game is hard (without guides, or help) it was hard as hell to defeat king Duran, and the Tower Knight was also difficult (because his size, intimidated me) his a freckin GIANT!...... And i for one cannot believe anyone that beaten it their very first time playing it without a guide or help and on top of that beaten Vanguard the Impossible st a soul level of 1...... Hell i was stuck in a room for about a hour and a half, that doesnt have any enemies......
"So the world might be mended".......

[Denethor_II]

@Elyxir-pSx

Without a guide? Fuck that. Maybe I'll try with Dark Souls.

[pixelsword]

@ Remember:

play it online and get lots of assistance from people with experience: send out those beacons requesting help; that's the way it was meant to be played if you need the help. I play it offline most of the time (and no guides [never thought to get one, lol]) to retain world tendency in some areas, but I love to play it online when I don't need to keep my tendencies.

OT: I think the writer of the story might have went online a little early...

[n4gisatroll]

I still stand by it not being that hard, especially after the first time. Disagree all you may. But its easy when you take your time. Oh ya, it probably helps having magic too ;D

[Anon1974]

Demon's Souls has hands down been one of my favorite games this gen, if not making my top 10 games list of all time (I don't actually have a list, but Demon's Souls would be on it if I did)

I like this way of dealing with it. You can't really be too hard on them for this. If some retailer broke street date, how is that the consumers fault, or what about advanced copies sent to reviewers, etc.

Sending Black Phantoms to kick their ass brings a smile to my face, and the effects aren't that big of a deal.

Can't wait for this game to hit Canada.

[blackmamba707]

I want to be punished :|<

[SilentNegotiator]

Ehhhh....to be fair, at least they BOUGHT a new copy of the game. Then again, if they're such hardcore fans of the first game that they would buy this one so early, maybe they will appreciate the challenge :)

[BigBoss07]

I can just imagine the devs thought process to come to this conclusion:

Bobby, "Hey Jim, some retail chumps released our game early. The players are already online leveling up and taking our swag"

Jim, "Sh@t, that means those players will be way ahead of us when we restart our characters on release day. Send in the phantoms."

Bobby, "You mean THOSE phantoms. The one's I created to F' with the Q/A guys during test week."

Jim, "Yes, we'll teach those suckers not mess with us and our rules. We're From Software, the destroyer of hopes and dreams, the creators of the "Prepare to Die" game. We've got to save face here, Bobby."

Bobby, "Jim, consider it done. The Black Brigade shall march AGAIN!!!!"

-Q/A guys cower in fear-
Whispers..., "Not the phantoms, I spent three day getting 10 million souls for them to take it all away from me like that."

"Yeah... what's worse is Jim was standing in his office evil laughing when he gave the order."
-Jim's office-

Jim, "MWHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAhaughu hghguhguh!!!!...(man, laughed so hard I got into a coughing fit. Still, that'll teach'em to not mess with us)" -Evil grin-

[BlmThug]

I have just gained new respect for them.

[MeatAbstract]

Thats so awesome! I can also imagine the players are having a ball trying outrun those high level BP.

[Nightfallen]

From Software have really been creative and unique with Demons and Dark Souls. Their future games have so much potential with these multiplayer aspects. Demons Souls was an amazing game, looking forward to Dark Souls more than anything this year. That says alot considering I have Skyrim, Uncharted 3 and AC:R on my reserve list.

[thornh]

Same page brother. Of all the games coming out for the rest of the year those three you have listed and Dark Souls are the only ones I am getting. I fugure it this way:

Uncharted 3 - shortest game in the lot. Maybe 12 hours SP and I'll be done. Not into MP.

Assassin's Creed: Revelations - 40 hours SP? Still haven't gotten everything in Brotherhood.

Skyrim - 100 hours? Maybe more.

Dark Souls - well I've "only" put in 40 hours so far on Demon's Souls. I'm like a level 42 or something. Haven't even scratched the surface of that game yet so I'll be playing Dark Souls for the next three years probably.

I will love all of these games but from everything I've seen so far Dark Souls will have a very good shot at being GOTY even with all of the tremendous competition.

[GameSpawn]

~55 hours on Demon's Souls and around level 146. Yeah, I was just about to beat my first play through and my PS3 dies loosing all that work and effort. Haven't picked up the game since.

That 55 hours felt more like 200. I won't say Demon's Souls is hard. It tends to sway between challenging and frustrating, not hard. Leveling also becomes time consuming very quickly, despite taking advantage of a pure black world 4-2.

Hell, I'm still pissed. I had the Gloom armor set and was finally leveled high enough I could move and run freely with no penalties. Had a fully leveled Winged Spear, Purple Flame Shield, and Sticky Compound Short Bow (Upgraded it before I had a chance to get the Long Bow version) and a Level 2 Dark Silver Shield. I also had the Talisman of Beasts and a great spell set. All that just pissed away. Would you start all over?

Just because of this I have no intention of getting Dark Souls. I'm not going to deny anyone else from either of these games. GET THEM. They are GREAT games from a GREAT company. Just BACK UP YOUR SAVES!!!

[MysticStrummer]

Hate be cynical, but I'm a cynic. Publicity stunt. It worked. Can't wait to play it.

[chidesd]

wish one of the people who got it early would record them get ass stomped that would be funny

[ElementX]

Duplicate!

http://n4g.com/news/849718/...

[Jack_DangerousIy]

OH NOES!!1!

[scepter]

im meaning they had 8 billion souls when killed lost them all is that what im hearing if so roflmao

[AAWELLS09]

Why are the players being punished for buying there game and playing it? The customers shouldnt be getting punished the stores breaking street dates should be. I could see them doing it if they pirated it but not when they bought it. Anyone in the world would do the same thing if they had a chance to buy an amazing game early.

[HeavenlySnipes]

If its like Demon's Souls you can choose to not play online. If you don't then the phantoms won't harass you lol

[AAWELLS09]

Yeah thats true. The game looks stunning and i wish i had the chance to buy it early lol.

[P_Bomb]

This. Just play offline. Pwnage parried ;)

I'm pretty sure From Software know that too and are just having a lil' bit of fun with the idea. Like how every Halloween they set the world tendencies to dark and everyone gets their butts kicked :p

[Cablephish]

The way I see it, it's not fair these select few got to play the game earlier than other people, and it may be just because they're well-connected. I say they deserved this.

Kinda like how people who didn't go on achievement servers on tf2 got awarded for it with Cheater's Lament. Man those cheaters must've been pissed, lol.

[FFXI101]

You are right, but people do. I know at least few of them that work in the retail store do that, when the game arrive in the store they just bring them home and start playing.

[banjadude]

I know this is by far a stretch, but I wonder what the developers would think if someone actually managed to kill one of those maxed-out enemies? lol

[Bathyj]

If you do, they should send you a free copy of Ace Combat.

[UltimateIdiot911]

I think you meant Armored Core.

[Dacapn]

If one of them actually managed to defeat one, that person would be set for the duration of the game.

[banjadude]

If you see anyone accomplish such a feat, let me know... please :)

[Dacapn]

I won't have to. The tell will be that there's one person rocking a gazillion souls on day one.

[Bathyj]

Haha, clever.

What happened if you break street date on CoD, headshots and teabagging?

[BeOneWithTheGun]

WE NEED VIDEO!!!!!

I cannot believe someone has not posted a video of them getting owned on Youtube yet. That would be an awesome to watch some poor level 10 running for his life from a level 99.

[PhoenixDevil]

I agree about the video thing, but if its anything like demons souls it wont be a measly level 99 try level 712!!!

[JsonHenry]

Why punish the consumer? They are not bound by any agreement to NOT play a game they legally bought..

[AAWELLS09]

Well said and my thoughts exactly.

[Dark_king]

Because their gamers to they are just playing the game the way players will be playing.

[Hicken]

There are things called HONESTY and INTEGRITY.

I wouldn't be trying to get any sort of unfair advantages in a game if I got my hands on it early, because I'm an honest person. (And since I work for a game store, I get plenty of chances to do just that.)

[Hicken]

lol at disagrees for being honest. n4g is amazing.

[ljh217]

People who get Dark Souls early can level up faster than those who get it on the release day. Now you might not know this but those early players can choose to punish the release day players by invading their worlds with their higher level characters (a day can make a huge difference) and killing the release day low level characters.

As a result, release day buyers get punished for getting it on release day. Hardly seems fair, so I fully support from softwares creativity!

If you somehow think this action is unfair, I'd strongly suggest not getting Dark Souls, because you clearly don't enjoy a challenge.

[JsonHenry]

^^ I was under the impression that you DIDN'T have to allow your game to online or join-able?

[ljh217]

Sure but you have to keep your PS3/Xbox disconnected from PSN or XBLA. There's not a tick box that will stop people joining.

[raWfodog]

@ JsonHenry

If its the same as Demon Souls, the only way to avoid people 'invading' your game is to play in "soul" form, not physical body.

It's either that or disconnect from the nework while you're playing, like ljh217 said.

[karl]

i was just watching one of the trailers...

at the end it says....

"PREPARE TO DIE"

[Spenok]

Lol From Software your amuse me. This is THE coolest punishment for playing a game early I have ever seen.

[Brownghost]

Dear god, now that's support for a game and in a fun way. This game is gonna be amazing

[YoungKingDoran]

badass.
i would like to see how i went up against those bots.
would be epic... epic indeed
ha-haaa!

[Interloper]

Bait it into falling off a cliff... Haha. Though if I did that, I couldn't kill it and make my famous Black Phantom Cupcakes.

[Kyosuke_Sanada]

Reminds me of what EVE moderators did to the infamous Moot Alliance that were killing new players and such. Kudos From Software but I think sending Black Phantom AC's would have been scarier. XD

[Dacapn]

Haha the starter AC would be enough.

[GrumpyVeteran]

Not the player's fault if the retailers break street date.

[Lord_Sloth]

This is pretty funny in my not so humble opinion. XXXD

[MasterCornholio]

LOL funny way to punish people for getting the game early. I love it.

[StrikerZ3ro112]

That's hilarious! I'd sh!t myself if i saw one of those beasts coming my way.

[ShinraE5]

How can people congratulate this?!?!

The consumers who paid full price for the game should in NO WAY be punished. The store who broke street date is the one who broke policy.

What if a gamer saw the game, and bought it on a whim? Or heard about it, asked if they had it, and bought it? If you didnt know the exact date, but bought it, the developer can mess with your experience?

Developers are able to do what they do THANKS TO paying customers. Targeting them, vice the stores, is a terrible policy at best.

I wasn't too interested in this title to begin with, but seeing a company who would so easily mess with their paying customers doesnt do much to sway me in their favor

[Drano]

I'm not patient enough for that game but I gotta say... that is pure genius.