FromSoftware finds earliest Demon’s Souls footage a prototype with FPV

Every major milestone in gaming history is built on layers of forgotten development—secrets whispered in internal meetings and documents long before the public sees the final product. One such deep dive into the evolution of FromSoftware’s legendary franchise came from a seasoned investigator, Lance McDonald, who unearthed an early showcase of Demon’s Souls.

This isn’t just history; it’s a roadmap to how one of gaming’s most influential subgenres was forged. The presentation, consisting of a PowerPoint deck and a short gameplay trailer, was revealed during an internal Sony event called Gameshare 4 in May 2007, nearly two years before the game launched in Japan.

The real fascination lies in those few minutes of action. While the final game is a masterclass in immersive perspective, the early footage offered fascinating glimpses into critical design pivots. One striking difference involved the camera system; this initial version featured first-person viewing modes reminiscent of King’s Field, offering an alternative perspective that was likely toggled between modes.

Even more revealing was the rudimentary 3D camera setup. In the early demo, the camera was locked behind the player model—a design choice that draws comparisons to classic games like Jedi Knight. This contrasts sharply with the modern system, which allows players to freely rotate and lock onto targets, defining the positioning-based combat that is the hallmark of the current Souls series.

Despite these graphical shifts, core elements remained remarkably consistent. The legendary figures featured in the showcase, such as the Vanguard Demon, appeared largely unchanged from their final forms, even surviving through subsequent titles like Elden Ring.

The world itself also shifted: the Dragon God’s arena was depicted as an open-air volcanic crater rather than the magma cavern seen in the finished product. Furthermore, the early footage featured enemies that would later become synonymous with the franchise, including bipedal snake men, echoing the motifs introduced in Dark Souls.

Beyond the gameplay mechanics, the presentation offered hilarious and revealing insights into FromSoftware’s corporate philosophy. The developers openly discussed positioning the game as a midpoint between massive MMOs and pure single-player experiences, even joking that it would destroy your life less than the former—complete with a cheeky reference to South Park.

They also highlighted the complexity of implementing asymmetric multiplayer, dedicating significant time to explaining the concept. This early vision offered an invaluable look at a team charting an ambitious course, complete with a development roadmap that predicted completion in June 2008 and repeated references to a “worldwide release” that ultimately led to complicated distribution decisions.

What began as an internal communication piece is now an indispensable artifact of gaming history. It serves as a tangible reminder of how close the experience was to becoming the colossal, influential masterpiece we know today, demonstrating just how much design could have changed the trajectory of the genre if these early choices had been taken differently.