Bloodborne Fans Celebrate 10th Anniversary, Rally for Return to Yharnam Amid No Sequel or Update

Today marks a special milestone as Bloodborne celebrates its 10th anniversary, and fans are marking the occasion by organizing another "Return to Yharnam" community event. Launched on March 24, 2015, for the PlayStation 4, FromSoftware's masterpiece not only solidified the developer's status as one of the greatest in the industry but also garnered immense critical and commercial success. Given its acclaim, a sequel or at least a current-gen remaster seemed inevitable, yet fans have been left wondering why Sony hasn't capitalized on the demand for more Bloodborne.

The lack of follow-up on Bloodborne—be it a remaster, sequel, or a next-gen update that could enable a 60fps gameplay experience—remains a perplexing mystery in the gaming world. Fans have been vocal about their desire for more, but Sony's silence on the matter continues to baffle the community.

Earlier this year, former PlayStation executive Shuhei Yoshida provided some insight into the situation. In an interview with Kinda Funny Games, Yoshida shared his personal theory on why there has been no Bloodborne follow-up, emphasizing that this was not based on insider knowledge. He speculated that Hidetaka Miyazaki, the head of FromSoftware and creator of Bloodborne, might be too busy with other successful projects to work on a sequel himself, and is protective of the game, preferring that no one else touches it. Yoshida suggested that Sony respects Miyazaki's wishes, which might explain the lack of developments.

Miyazaki's success extends beyond Bloodborne and the Dark Souls series, with the recent blockbuster Elden Ring elevating FromSoftware to new heights. This success has kept Miyazaki occupied with multiple projects, including directing Dark Souls 3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring. While Miyazaki has acknowledged that Bloodborne could benefit from a release on more modern hardware, he often redirects questions about the game, citing that FromSoftware does not own the IP.

In the absence of official updates, fan-made projects have attempted to enhance the Bloodborne experience. However, these efforts have met with resistance from Sony, as seen with the takedown of a 60fps mod by Lance McDonald and a copyright claim against Lilith Walther's Bloodborne PSX demake. Meanwhile, advancements in PS4 emulation, such as the breakthrough covered by Digital Foundry with ShadPS4, have enabled fans to play Bloodborne at 60fps on PC, possibly prompting Sony's defensive actions.

With no official word from Sony, fans have taken it upon themselves to keep the spirit of Bloodborne alive. The latest "Return to Yharnam" event encourages players to create new characters, summon cooperators and invaders, and leave in-game messages to signify their participation in this community-driven celebration. As fans continue to engage with the game in this way, it remains to be seen if this will be their primary way to experience Bloodborne in the future.

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