From Software games are renowned for their rich lore and deeply interwoven storytelling. And lore enthusiasts love to dig through these games to find hidden connections.
So you might be wondering, are the two most popular From Software games, Bloodborne and Dark Souls, in any way connected or share the same universe? If so, then we’ve got the answer.
Simply put, no. Bloodborne and Dark Souls do not belong to the same universe. The series director Hidetaka Miyazaki has gone on record several times to highlight that he always intended the two series to be separate and that Bloodborne does not share the same universe as Dark Souls.
However, this doesn’t mean there aren’t several Easter eggs and fan service moments shared between the two games. Based on these moments, many notable lore experts have put forth their theories regarding Bloodborne and Dark Souls.
The two games might share many concepts regarding game design and philosophy. However, there are also several differences, both mechanically and lore-wise. We’ll discuss in detail the various aspects of the Bloodborne and Dark Souls lore and the most notorious theories that attempt to connect the two games.
Why is Bloodborne not in the Dark Souls universe?
/1LW4050050-Bloodborne-GOTY-HeroSquare-b6fb46982fce4257b114b06e18053f84.jpg "Is Bloodborne In The Dark Souls Universe? 1")
Perhaps the most obvious yet overlooked answer for why Bloodborne and Dark Souls don’t share a universe is that the two IPs simply belong to different companies.
Yes, this is sadly true. Although the Game Developer for both games is From Software, they are each owned by a unique parent company. Dark Souls is the intellectual property of Bandai Namco, and Bloodborne is the intellectual property of Sony Computer Entertainment.
It is due to this reason that even if we wanted them to share a singular universe, they simply could not due to a clash in publisher between Dark Souls and Bloodborne.
Miyazaki regarding Bloodborne and Dark Souls
It’s upsetting, however, Hidetaka Miyazaki who is the creative director, designer, scriptwriter, and executive for From Software has stated on multiple occasions that Bloodborne has no connection with games such as Dark Souls and Demon Souls.
Dark Souls and Bloodborne Easter Eggs and references
Although he has also mentioned that the Easter eggs they add in every new game they work on are obviously intentional and are simply a bit of fan service for their dedicated player base.
Some of these Easter Eggs and references include:
- The Moon Light Great Sword
- Patches
- Giant pillars in the Hunters Dream and the arch trees of Ash Lake.
Moonlight Great Sword
Perhaps the most infamous weapon which appears in almost all From Software games is the Moon Light Great Sword. This weapon first appeared in the King’s Field games back in 1994 and has seen been as a staple Easter Egg in all future game developments.
The weapon can be found in all three Dark Souls games. The first Dark Souls game it is one of the rare weapons that can be obtained by cutting off the tail of the scaleless dragon known as Seath.
In Dark Souls 2, the Moonlight Great Sword can be obtained by trading the Old Paledrake Soul with Weaponsmith Ornifex. And in Dark Souls 3, can be obtained through Soul transposition by trading the Soul of the Consumed King Oceiros.
Finally, in Bloodborne, the Moonlight Great Sword can be obtained in the DLC The Old Hunters. It can be found by interacting with the corpse of Ludwig, The Holy Blade.
Patches
Another fascinating Easter Egg that you’ll find connecting all the worlds created by From Software is the character Patches. He appears under a different name and sometimes even a different model in each game, but his actions and interactions with the player remain the same.
Patches inherently is a trickster with a balding head. And with the promise of treasure lures the player to either enter a dangerous location or look over the edge of a cliff, where he promptly kicks the player’s character to fall to their demise.
Patches first appeared in the Armored Core series, one of the first games that Hidetaka Miyazaki worked on.
Since then, Patches have shown up under different names in the From Software games. He was Trusty Patches (ironic) in Dark Souls, Patches the Unbreakable in Dark Souls 3, and Patches the Spider in Bloodborne.
Giant Pillars and the Trees of Ash Lake
Perhaps one of the coolest Easter Eggs that a Soulsborne player can find is the similarities between the Giant stone pillars in the distance of the Hunter’s Dream and the Arch Trees that reach up to the sky in Ash Lake.
While some people believe that these Pillars and trees merely support structures for other Dreams and Worlds in their respective universes. Other creators believe they tie into a greater theory connecting the two games.
The Youtuber Max Derrat has professed one such theory:
Could Bloodborne be a sequel to Dark Souls?
An enduring theory that has captured the imaginations of many of the players of the Soulsborne franchise is that which Youtuber Vaati Vidya put forth.
In their video titled The Joint Timeline of Soulsborne, they discuss the possibility that the painted world made by Blood of the Dark Soul at the end of Dark Souls 3 could allude to the creation of the world of Bloodborne.
However, there seem to be many issues with this theory. One of the most notable is that Yharnam, where Bloodborne takes place, does not obey the laws and rules of Painted Worlds.
Although the Blood of the Dark Soul is utilized in creating the painting, no mention of this is made in any in-game text of Bloodborne. Ultimately, even Vaati Vidya disproves the theory, even if it can be quite interesting.
In conclusion, the universe of Dark Souls is not shared with Bloodborne. However, there exist many compelling fan theories and Easter Eggs. Ultimately, the difference in the ownership of their intellectual property rights and express statements from the series creator, Hidetaka Miyazaki himself, solidify their difference.
Nonetheless, the search for greater insight into this matter will continue forevermore. And our eyes are yet to open, good hunter.