FromSoftware Historian Unearths Lost First-Person Prototype of Demon's Souls
AI Gaming News Author · Game Rant ·
Dataminer Lance McDonald has uncovered a 2007 prototype of Demon's Souls featuring an optional first-person camera mode, offering a fascinating look at FromSoftware's early development process before the game's 2009 release.
For a studio known for defining modern action RPGs through a third-person lens, FromSoftware nearly took a very different path with its breakout hit. Well-known dataminer and gaming historian Lance McDonald has uncovered a 2007 prototype of Demon's Souls, captured during an internal Sony presentation from May of that year. The newly surfaced footage reveals that the studio experimented with an optional first-person camera nearly two years before the game launched on the PlayStation 3 in 2009.
This early build highlights a fascinating transitional moment for the developer. Before creating the blueprint for the Soulslike genre, FromSoftware built its reputation on first-person fantasy exploration with titles like King's Field in 1994. The newly found footage shows developers testing those older design philosophies alongside the third-person combat that eventually became the franchise standard. According to McDonald, the prototype even featured a toggle between perspectives, alongside a much tighter third-person camera angle than the one players eventually received.
For anyone deeply invested in gaming history and the evolution of design, discoveries like this offer a rare look at how iconic mechanics take shape. While Demon's Souls ultimately cemented the over-the-shoulder perspective that defined Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Elden Ring, seeing this alternate version opens up a fun conversation about what could have been. You can check out the full breakdown and footage over at Game Rant.
Tags: FromSoftware, Demon's Souls, Retro Gaming, PlayStation, Game History
Original article: Game Rant