The barren city of Yharnam is home to the demonic undead, crazy plague victims, Gothic spires and there’s just a single person who might be able to bring peace to its lands – you. In Bloodborne, players take on the role of a demon hunter in a city inspired by Victorian London and do fight with the horrors inside to uncover its mysteries.
For those still unfamiliar, Bloodborne is regarded as one of the best exclusive RPG titles to launch on the PlayStation. While most wouldn’t know it from the game’s name, it is actually the fourth installment in the Souls franchise, which up until now has included Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, and Dark Souls 2. The franchise has been a fan-favorite in the gaming community since 2009 for its vicious difficulty, spooky worlds, and accurate gameplay.
If Bloodborne appears intimidating, players shouldn’t worry as this is by design. If it’s anything like the past Souls games, it should give a rewarding experience for any player bold enough to stick it out until the end.
What is Bloodborne?
Bloodborne is a PlayStation action/RPG exclusive from developer From Software which was released back on March 24, 2015. In the game, players create a unique demon hunter and travel into the cursed city of Yharnam, where the occupants are destined to become deadly monsters.
As players progress in the game, players can obtain superbly sinister armors and weapons as well as the Blood Echoes of slain enemies. These Blood Echoes can enhance a player’s stats, as well as pay for equipment upgrades and helpful items.
Players who have tried any of the past Souls games will probably already know the answer to this question. If not, the main difference between Bloodborne and other titles of the same genre is its insane difficulty. While most games give a player challenges on their way to the end, in the Souls franchise, the game itself is the challenge.
Generally speaking, the stories are minimal and do not specifically tell the player what to do, where to go, or what particular items they will need to bring. There are a lot of hidden roads to discover and optional quests to accomplish, which can make impossible tasks attainable. Most enemies in the game can kill a player in just a few hits, and bosses can typically do it in just one or two.
The bargain is the game’s accuracy. Bloodborne, like the other Souls games, provides players total control over their equipment, stats, combat style, and the way they progress through the game. Once players get used to a playstyle that works for them, they will quickly discover that even if they die – and frequently – nothing in this game is as powerful and as persistent as they are.
Bloodborne is also more minimalistic and much darker than most RPGs and integrates considerable horror elements. Since death prowls around every corner, each stage instills a palpable sense of danger. Monstrous enemies and body horror thrive, and even charming environments such as fields of flowers and towering castles tend to induce gloom and sorrow instead of relief.
Is Bloodborne coming to the PC?
Back in 2020, speculations of a Bloodborne PC launch were roaming around with such intensity that it appeared almost sure. After releasing Horizon Zero Dawn, why wouldn’t more of Sony’s best hits come to the PC? Dark Souls was massively successful on Steam. The players were ready but every video gaming event of the year came and went with no Bloodborne PC announcement.
2020 was a bad year but maybe this year will be a better one as fans expect Bloodborne’s release on the PC. Recently, a new Sony interview surfaced stating that more PlayStation games are receiving PC ports and last year’s rumors give us hope that Bloodborne will be one of them.
PlayStation CEO reveals more PC ports are arriving
In a February 2021 interview with GQ Magazine, Jim Ryan casually verified that Sony is bringing more of its first-party games to the PC. “Particularly from the latter half of the PS4 cycle our studios made some wonderful, great games.”There’s an opportunity to expose those great games to a wider audience and recognize the economics of game development, which are not always straightforward. The cost of making games goes up with each cycle, as the caliber of the IP has improved. Also, our ease of making it available to non-console owners has grown. So it’s a fairly straightforward decision for us to make” Ryan revealed.
The first PlayStation exclusive title arriving on the PC this year is supposedly Days Gone but no other titles have been revealed thus far. God of War appears likely to follow, as a PC port will only hype up more interest in the PlayStation 5 sequel.
But what about Bloodborne? Ryan never mentioned it but that doesn’t mean much. One confusing factor is From Software as the developer. From Software is still busy creating Elden Ring, and also isn’t an Internal Sony development studio like most of those first-party titles. Is that an issue for a Bloodborne PC port? Hopefully not a significant one.
2020 Bloodborne port rumors
Back in June 2020, streamer CaseyExplosion posted in her Twitter account that a Bloodborne PC port by QLOC was supposed to be revealed at a PlayStation 5 event. However, the event was delayed, and when it finally happened, Bloodborne was missing from the show. 2020 ended with no sign that the leak was anything more than speculation.
What did get revealed was a PlayStation 5 remake of Demon’s Souls, another From Software title. Was that what the rumors were actually about all along? It is likely, though Demon’s Souls was developed by Bluepoint Games, and a Dark Souls YouTuber mentioned QLOC was not working on a Bloodborne port. That seemed to pretty much put down the rumors, but CaseyExplosion is still convinced that Bloodborne is still out there, and on the way.
For those just joining me, yes Bloodborne *will* be coming to PC, I've had it confirmed by a very trusted source, and I have a lot of faith in the company who's doing the port, you won't be disappointed. It genuinely is happening. pic.twitter.com/Gik2QA5J5q
— Sloth Mom on Hiatus (@CaseyExplosion) June 4, 2020
Could Bloodborne on PC still happen? Sure. Were those speculations from 2020 based on true, precise information? Maybe, but it sure looks less likely that as more time goes by. Thus far, there haven’t been considerable signs or leaks that a Bloodborne remaster is happening, just whispers. Every PC enthusiast wants Bloodborne on the PC. For now, they just have to wait.
Bloodborne on PS Now
A workaround for this problem is utilizing Sony’s streaming platform PS Now. This service provides its members with a collection of games that can be played on various devices. While it isn’t an actual Bloodborne PC port, it is an efficient way to play the game on PC. However, before fans get carried away and hand over their wallets, a few problems need to be brought up.
First, the subscription will cost players $20 per month, or $100 for a year. For players planning on rushing through the game, then a single month might be a feasible option. However, the game is difficult and it might be worthwhile investing in a longer subscription, specifically if there are other games in the game in the library that players are interested in.
Sadly, the problem of expense isn’t the only turnstile fans will come across. To access PS Now, players must be located in Japan, North America, or Europe. One last piece of information for those that want to use PS Now: players will need an official PlayStation 4 controller as well as a PlayStation Network membership. While these expenses will add up, they will still come in considerably less than buying a whole new console. It’s not practical but it is still an option.
Why a new Bloodborne version makes sense
The justification that From Software and Sony would be eager to make Bloodborne more widely available has serious legs. As one of the crown jewels of the Souls franchise, Bloodborne has exemplary pulling power.
However, the idea that gamers are going to purchase a PlayStation 4 or PlayStation 5 to play a five-year-old title isn’t likely. It would make a lot more sense to utilize their assets to make more hype and excitement for their future projects.
By letting a Bloodborne PC port happen, Sony would establish to PC owners the advantage of owning a Sony console; the exclusive titles at the time of launch. If waiting for five years has not already hammered this point home, then the experience of finally playing the game possibly will.
Identically, by making Bloodborne accessible to a new pool of players, From Software will be giving a remarkable reminder of their heritage. There is quite simply no better promotion for their much-anticipated Elden Ring compared to Bloodborne.
This is where the problem of a Bloodborne PC edition converges with calls for a PlayStation 5 update. Players want to experience the game at 60FPS. They are in fact craving for it and considering the games that have already been provided updates, it certainly is curious that Bloodborne has not.
However, if a 60FPS edition of the game were to be launched simultaneously on the PC and PlayStation 5, that would definitely solve a few problems, wouldn’t it? It would be like hitting two birds with one stone – quite exciting.
