Square Enix’s canceled Bloodborne-like project reveals what could have been in gaming history
Introduction: The Phantom Project
Development veterans from the Final Fantasy 16 creative team have recently disclosed information about an abandoned intellectual property that bore striking resemblances to FromSoftware’s acclaimed Bloodborne title. This revelation offers fascinating insight into parallel development paths within the gaming industry.
Square Enix’s development leads currently shaping Final Fantasy 16 have shared never-before-heard details about a shelved project that demonstrated remarkable similarities to FromSoftware’s Bloodborne years before its public release.
When FromSoftware launched Bloodborne in 2015, it created immediate impact across gaming communities, attracting both dedicated Souls series enthusiasts and newcomers seeking more demanding gameplay experiences. The distinctive Victorian gothic atmosphere combined with fluid, aggressive combat mechanics established it as a genre-defining masterpiece and essential PlayStation 4 exclusive title that continues to influence game design today.
Uncovering the Lost IP
Nearly a decade later, with no sequel announcement forthcoming, key members of the Final Fantasy 16 development squad have confirmed they were previously developing a strikingly similar project that was ultimately canceled well before Bloodborne reached consumers.
As originally surfaced by ResetEra community discussions, during an interview with Japanese gaming publication Famitsu, Final Fantasy 16 producer Naoki Yoshida disclosed that he collaborated with colleagues Hiroshi Takai and Hiroshi Minagawa on a title that closely resembled “basically Bloodborne.” This development period occurred prior to Yoshida’s involvement with Final Fantasy 14’s ongoing development and revitalization.
Bloodborne Parallels and Differences
Takai characterized the unreleased intellectual property as an “intense action experience” embracing “gothic architectural and aesthetic influences,” complete with firearm mechanics and weapon designs that would eventually appear in Bloodborne. “Upon initially experiencing Bloodborne, my immediate reaction was recognition: ‘This visual language feels strangely familiar,'” Yoshida recalled.
Following approximately twelve months of active development, the proposed game concept was archived before public announcement. After witnessing FromSoftware’s final product years afterward, Minagawa expressed appreciation for the project’s cancellation, humorously noting: “Had we continued development and Bloodborne launched first, our team would likely experience significant distress regarding the similarities.”
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The Multiplayer Innovation
Despite numerous aesthetic and mechanical parallels between both projects, Yoshida’s team incorporated several innovative concepts absent from Bloodborne’s 2015 release. The canceled game would have implemented extensive multiplayer functionality, which the development trio compared conceptually to Turtle Rock Studios’ 2014 release Evolve.
Similar to Turtle Rock’s asymmetrical multiplayer design, four cooperative players would struggle to survive against an opposing participant controlling a powerful hunter character with enhanced abilities pursuing the team. “The core concept merged Bloodborne’s foundation with that multiplayer framework,” Yoshida explained. “Continued development would likely still be ongoing given the technical complexity.”
“I frequently contemplate what the final product might have achieved,” Minagawa reflected with amusement.
Legacy and What Could Have Been
While the gaming community will always wonder about the potential success of this abandoned intellectual property, the overwhelming popularity of both Bloodborne and subsequent FromSoftware titles like Elden Ring makes it improbable we’ll ever witness Yoshida and his team’s original vision.
The canceled project represents a fascinating “what if” scenario in gaming history. Its development timeline suggests that similar creative ideas often emerge simultaneously across different studios, yet execution and timing determine which visions reach players. The Square Enix team’s approach combined Souls-like combat with innovative multiplayer mechanics that might have influenced the entire action RPG genre differently.
For developers and designers, this story highlights the importance of thorough market research and understanding competitor landscapes before committing to lengthy development cycles. It also demonstrates how canceled projects can provide valuable learning experiences that benefit future titles, as evidenced by the team’s subsequent work on Final Fantasy 16.
No reproduction without permission：SeeYouSoon Game Club » Final Fantasy 16 devs worked on canceled game almost identical to Bloodborne Square Enix's canceled Bloodborne-like project reveals what could have been in gaming history