There had been rumblings for quite some time that Dark Souls would be arriving on the Switch in some form, but it still came as a pleasant surprise when the Nintendo Direct Mini confirmed the existence of Dark Souls: Remastered. This will mark the first time that the brutal action series makes an appearance on a Nintendo platform, and a portable $40 package with all the DLC will certainly prove to be a tempting deal to many.
Dark Souls has also carved out a bit of a name for itself with its double-edged online play, where other players can assist you in battle or join the assault of the hordes of monsters out for your blood. Unfortunately, Bandai Namco confirmed that Dark Souls: Remastered will not feature cross-platform play, so you’ll need to find some friends that have it on the same console as you. While this may be disappointing, it’s likely influenced by the performance gap that’ll exist between the Switch version and the version for other platforms, though it’s worth mentioning that no platform is getting cross-play.
What do you think? Do you enjoy the online mode of Dark Souls? Will you be getting it for the Switch? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
[source ign.com]
Comments 55
well, another proof that this remaster stinks...
@BlackenedHalo "Another"? What was the first proof?
meh! i'd rather have Dance Dance Revolution : Satanic Bongos Edition
While a tad bit disappointing it's not a deal breaker for me. I didn't think it would be in the first place. (Maybe that's me being cynical. haha)
It's a game I have never played before, with a decent price point(cheaper than LA Noire for instance with the DLC).
The Switch's user base is rising steadily too, so I don't think it'll be hard to find people to partner up with personally if interest in this game on the go is there. I'm just glad it's coming to Switch. It's a nice era to be in.
Expected. Still, it's Dark Souls on the go so it isn't a deal breaker by any means.
Expected... I mean, no game supports cross-platoform unless it's highly publicized. Is this actually disappointing to anyone after the initial announcement? Sorry if anyone was expecting it
I don't know too much about Dark Souls and honestly did not know it had an online component until now, so I am not really sure how much of an impact this will/won't have. However, this news doesn't change the fact that I'm excited to play it for the first time when it comes to Switch. Definitely a day 1 buy!
Buying purely to play portably but all the details that have come out screams that this is a bare bones remaster, no new assets no fixes to areas (bed of chaos anyone) and no gameplay fixes (maybe they can fix some of the covenants). Just up rezing textures, 6 player online and 60 FPS for all versions except the switch and hopefully they didn’t assign things to the frame rate like durability like in dark souls 2 pc version.
Not really surprised. Cross platform play is really hard to pull off because of all the behind the scenes stuff that goes into it. It's probably not worth the trouble for a game that is mostly a single player experience.
Considering the original had a barely functional online system, not sure why we would expect the best of the best.
...So? What's so disappointing of it?
Er....did anybody expect it to?
I'm not too disappointed by this, I never use the online in these games anyway. I'd rather not have some random come in and mess me up.
In other news: Shadow of the Colossus remastered will not have VR support.
Lol. Does this really even qualify as news? Kind of a no-brainer.
Yeah because out of the 12 million Switch owners only 3 people will buy this game.........oh wait.
Some people still live in the past(wii u). This is no problem at all.
Very excited to play this game!
@Danpal65 The online component is one of DS's weirdest but most entertaining wrinkles. There's ways in the game to semi-randomly pop into another player's session as one of several diffrent 'phantoms'; either getting summoned by someone requesting assistance or entering someone's game as a malicious invader. Objectives during these online sessions vary from killing your 'host' to helping them beat a boss.
Communication is minimal, reduced to just emotes performed by your avatar. But somehow players have formed quite a variety of phenomenon using these tools, from organized fight clubs to wacky dance parties.
It's silly, it's entertaining and it's awesome.
I, for one, always enterted the 'Warriors of Sunlight' covenent, playfully known as the 'Sunbros'. Their focus is purely on co-op; as a Sunbro you can leave your 'sign' anywhere in the game for other players. When they use your 'sign', they'll summon you into their game as a glorious golden phantom for jolly co-operation. As a Sunbro, your mission becomes to defeat the next boss in your host's game, and upon completion the Sunbro earns Humanity and a Sunlight Medal, which is used to further their standing in their covenant and gain more of the covenant's power (including but not limited to THROWING FREAKING LIGHTNING SPEARS).
So yeah, DS's online is pretty cool.
Wait..so if no other console supports cross-play, then how would switch support it? What other platforms would switch even cross-play with if it supported it then? This whole article was a waste of my time and so was this comment I just made. Nothing makes sense anymore!!
@Switch_will_fail Agreed
No Dark Souls game has ever been cross platform... did anyone really expect it to be? Seeing this reported and talked about a lot as if it's some massive downgrade, when it's clearly not.
It should be. Game like that. At least to PC.
... and why would I want cross platform on this title?
Whatever. Never expected to be otherwise in the first place.
While slightly disappointing as it would be cool to finally get some cross-platform shenanigans, this is to be expected. It isn't like Dark Souls was ever cross-platform with its online anyway. The remaster does seem like a cheap cash grab with barely any improvements, but I'll get it anyway. Take me money, ye scurvy landlubbers!
What did you expect!
Of all the versions being released, I'm pretty confident that the switch playerbase will help each other more than invade for trolling sake, of course , I could be completely wrong.
Nintendo cannot wait for the system sales bump once switches around the world start taking flying lessons /s
Cross platform would be impossible or heavily one sided if they don't get 60fps across all platforms anyway.
But I guess nobody is getting cross-play anyway so no harm done. Still getting it.
@Bart_T Sounds like a whole lotta fun! Looking forward to this game a bit more now. Thanks for the info
There's never been a friends mode in Dark Souls, not sure why you'd mention playing with friends
Anyone but hurt over this including the author of this article seriously need to get a grip
It’s actually comical this is an article!
Rarely do I play Dark Souls online, heck there have been times where I have been invaded by other players and when that happened I couldn't help but feel like the game would be better without that feature. Besides I am sure this game will sell plenty well enough for there to be more than enough players online considering the fan base is comprised of pretty hardcore gamers in general, not to mention that the framerate difference between the versions makes cross play kind of impossible in the first place.
Never expected it to begin with.
...people were expecting cross-platform play? I love the concept but it shouldn't be expected for every 3rd party game releasing on Switch.
This shouldn't be an article.
It makes it seem like there was ever a chance of cross-platform.
There was never a chance that would happen - it has nothing to do with performance differences - Sony doesn't do Cross-Platform. They are the big dog in the room. It would be simple, though.
@BlackenedHalo No sir.
Nobody ever expects any Souls game to be cross platform.
They never were, they never will be.
Can't wait for this Masterpiece.
@Oblique No, cuz the PS4 and PS4 Pro players are all able to play together - it has nothing to do with "performance"
just Sony doesn't allow cross platform (as you said there)
Hell, if the Switch version is 30fps instead of 60 I don't want cross-play. Even ground and all that.
Having played first one on Xbox 360, more important is that Blighttown framerate is now stable and playable. Region was total nightmare with constant fps drops below 20.
This would be tough on the Wii u because you'll need am install base, but the switch will take care of that.
I like cross platform online, but calling this a deal breaker is silly.
That's ok. Would be crazy to be invaded all the time. I play always offline
No biggie. With Sony's bizarre stance on cross play, I feel like this feature loses a lot of potential. (Thanks, Sony )
@Oblique Dark Souls has ps4 pro support
nothing to select
almost all of them work that way
Hopefully there will be a healthy enough online base to make this a non issue.
I didn’t expect it to be in the first place, so that’s fine by me!
I'm sure there will be a strong online base even without cross platform play. (Praying to god the port doesn't have any issues) Just look at Demon Souls. Either way I'm not buying for PVP at most the online aspect benefits me for the messages, and bloodstain players left behind.
In order for there to be a good online presence - make sure to drop your white sign down - actually - this is also the best way to deal with invaders - not only do you have the advantage - but the only reason I got into invading was because I kept dropping my summon sign - only for it to just sit there - I hit my red eye - and I'm instantly engaged
so IDK
drop your summon sign - and pick up that white sign when you see it
that is how to keep the game alive
Breaking news!
FIFA 19 won't have cross play on Switch (if it's announced)
and as the story develops we learn that other platforms won't have this uncommon feature either. So as it stands at this moment, only Minecraft, Mantis Burn Racing and Pinball FX 3 are the only games in the history of gaming to allow cross console play.
Meh, the "no new assets" would have sank it for me regardless (was not getting it anyway)... But really, it never had cross play so how is this an issue now.
Amazon has DS3 for 19 with all the DLC right now - that is a bit more tempting. Never got the DLC.
@FlowOfDough The first for me was the slower frame rate. It’s not that I don’t want to play any games at 30fps. It’s just that if the other consoles have upgraded visuals (usually way more obvious while docked like other 3rd party titles) AND 60fps I’m more tempted to go that route.
They could lower the price some and make it more tempting though.
[Inser the usual comment about being too old anyway to appreciate online experiences in video games]
well of course they won't have cross platform play. none of other Souls games have had this, why would this one?
I never was much for invading/being invaded or coop. The only thing I like about the multiplayer is the blood pools to see how people died and the random hints you get lol.
Praise the Sun! The online play can be messed up with a good conection with just one system on the previous version.
I played dark souls and didn't like it, i know a lot of people did though and this a hardly a deal breaker.
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