Hints point to Sekiro 2 as next FromSoftware game after Elden Ring

Release plans for FromSoftware after Elden Ring are still a mystery, but marketing from Activision-Blizzard may have spoiled the reveal of the company’s next game.

Activision-Blizzard is now sponsoring content creators to create videos about Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The 2019 stealth action game is a strange topic to bring up, which could indicate plans to turn the game into a franchise. Here’s the hint broken down and some other signs that point to a Sekiro sequel.

On August 3, popular FromSoftware content creator Zullie the Witch released a video going through what makes Sekiro unique compared to Elden Ring and the Dark Souls series. She points how simple changes like a universal main character and the lack of RPG elements influences every part of the game. All of the info is presented alongside images of gameplay captured by Zullie.

How Sekiro sets itself apart

While FromSoftware is famously quiet and seemingly immune to leaks, Activision-Blizzard may have revealed the studio’s next game with this marketing move. While Bandai Namco published Elden Ring and the Souls series, Activision distributed Sekiro globally. That distinction would probably remain true for a Sekiro sequel, giving the American company a stake in a potential sequel.

A Sekiro sequel is not yet confirmed, but this strange marketing move matches up with previous teasing about a new title. Activision would have no reason to sponsor content creators to promote a three-year-old game if there wasn’t something in the works behind it. If Sekiro 2 really is FromSoftware’s next game after the successful release of Elden Ring, it will have a lot of hype to live up to.

What could FromSoftware be planning for Sekiro 2?

FromSoftware’s next game is still up in the air, but there are plenty of ideas left for a Sekiro 2 after the success of Elden Ring.

In Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, the character of Lady Tomoe is often mentioned but never depicted. She was part of the Ashina clan and served as a sword instructor for Genichiro. Tomoe also taught Genichiro to redirect lightning, a skill he uses in multiple boss fights. Based on in-game descriptions, Tomoe protected another bearer of the dragon’s heritage before her mysterious disappearance.

Instead of focusing on Tomoe, the game could also shift back in time to show many of the older characters in Sekiro at their peak. Isshin Ashina, Owl, or Lady Butterfly could all be interesting protagonists. Someone deeper in the story like Kingfisher or Orangutan could work as well. 

Sekiro has always been the most distant cousin in the FromSoftware family tree. For all we know, the studio could be planning something completely different for a sequel. For the time being, all of this remains pure speculation. While FromSoftware has confirmed that its next game is closer to completion than fans may realize, there’s no guarantee it’ll be Sekiro 2, even if Activision’s marketing tactics point towards just that.