Dark Souls 2 Announced by Namco Bandai

Namco Bandai and FromSoftware announced Dark Souls 2 is currently in development for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and Windows PC.

FromSoftware, located in Tokyo, is developing Dark Souls 2 to continue the legacy of presenting its passionate fans with unrelenting challenges that have become a hallmark of the series, while also providing new obstacles for players to overcome.

Everything is new for Dark Souls 2. The sequel will include a new hero, a new storyline, and an unfamiliar world for players to survive in while delivering the challenge and sense of empowerment that players hunger for. Battles with gruesome enemies and blood-thirsty bosses await adventurers as they traverse and conquer a world filled with death and despair.

Dark Souls 2 will feature a revamped server based multiplayer experience that will put a unique Dark Souls twist on the concept of playing and sharing with others. Gamers with enough tenacity and force of will earn great rewards. Dark Souls 2 will feature dedicated game servers that will host all players on a single networked system. The original Dark Souls used a peer-to-peer format with one player hosting the session in order to play online.

Development at FromSoftware is being overseen by Studio Director Tomohiro Shibuya. However, Dark Souls 2 is expected to stay true to the foundation established by Dark Souls series creator and Dark Souls 2 Supervisor Hidetaka Miyazaki. Shibuya expects the newest installment of the game to be more accessible to all gamers and be more straightforward.

There was a big reveal for Dark Souls 2 during this year’s Spike Video Game Awards featuring an announcement trailer for the game.

Dark Souls 2 is already available for pre-order on Amazon. The online retailer lists the game at the standard current-generation games price of $59.99 and has a placeholder release date of Dec. 31, 2013. No official release date has been announced.

Namco Bandai launched a teaser site for Dark Souls 2 featuring artwork from the game.