Bloodborne devotees hoping for any movement from the franchise, whether it’s a PC version of the game, a remake, or just some new content, might be setting themselves up for disappointment, according to a former PlayStation CEO. In a recent interview, Shawn Layden, who joined the company in 1995 and served as CEO from 2014 to 2018, shared why an updated Bloodborne game could face problems moving forward.
In a chat earlier this week on the Trophy Room podcast, Layden offered some insight into why Bloodborne isn’t getting any updates despite its continued popularity. Because the sales numbers had recently made headlines, the question came up: “Why is Bloodborne not coming back?” Layden first acknowledged that Bloodborne was great, but reviving old titles has “a certain challenge to it”.
First, he pointed out there was a serious question to tackle before considering such a move. “Can you do something that is not only respectful of the original, but can you…recreate the phenomenon, as it were?” he said. On top of that, there are legal aspects to consider, with the rights of various companies involved. In this case, that would not only be Sony, but FromSoftware, which was behind the development of the game, along with its parent company.
“I think just getting everyone to sign off on the same thing is probably the biggest challenge there,” Layden concluded. He added that it isn’t just Bloodborne that’s getting tied up in such issues. He shared that he had hoped to remake Ratchet & Clank, originally released in 2002, but initially received pushback because the games were considered too old. “So, yeah, there’s a lot of reluctance at the publishing level for this ‘old stuff’,” he added, using air quotes around that last phrase.
‘Bloodborne’ Is Still Selling Copies, So Why Hasn’t Sony Brought It Back?
That certainly doesn’t mean that a Bloodborne remake or remaster is a lost cause, though. Layden pointed out that if companies release the “right” titles, revisited games can be strong performers, with one of the podcast hosts citing the success of the Crash Bandicoot remakes.
2026 has certainly seen some strong remakes, along with console games successfully being ported to other platforms. Nintendo recently released The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time remake for the Switch 2, and in the Playstation sphere, Square Enix reworked Dragon Quest VII for the original Switch. Remasters like The Wolf Among Us have also done well.
And there’s more to come next year, with Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and Resident Evil: Veronica both on the horizon. So while it might be disappointing to hear that a Bloodborne remake, remaster, or port isn’t on the way any time soon, there’s no need to give up hope. Who knows what the rest of 2027 will bring?
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