Demon's Souls servers to stay online

By Fred Dutton Published 17 December, 2010

PS3 RPG threatens immortality.

Support for monstrous PlayStation 3 RPG Demon's Souls' US servers has been extended again, publisher Atlus has announced.

Earlier this year, Atlus pledged to keep the game online until at least March 2011, but it has now extended that deadline until at least October next year as the game continues to enjoy huge popularity.

"We've said it before and we'll say it again," said Atlus exec Aram Jabbari, "we will support the online servers for Demon's Souls as long as we possibly can, and we'll be as transparent about the entire process as possible, hence us constantly updating folks as to what to expect.

"That said, we're starting to think... the servers may have taken on a bit of a... life of their own. Have you played the game? It's not just one of the most brilliant roleplaying games ever made; it's darn challenging, too. It's starting to feel like even if we wanted to, we couldn't shut things down."

"Honestly, we're more worried the servers will shut us down than the other way around."

He's not wrong – Demon's Souls is rather marvelous. From Software's bleak, brutal epic tortured a 9/10 from Eurogamer's Keza MacDonald last year.

Picture of Fred.

About Fred Dutton

Fred Dutton is Eurogamer's US news editor, based in Washington DC.

Read more articles from Fred by visiting the Fred Dutton archive page.

You may also like...

Comments (29) Latest comment 1 year ago

Comments for this article are now closed, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • Lord_Gremlin #1 1 year ago

    Hey, immortality is what Demon's Souls is about.

  • Cataferal #2 1 year ago

    Skynet. Who knew it would begin with Atlus' servers?

  • Killerbee #3 1 year ago

    Great news! It's a fantastic game and even having completed it once it's still great fun and just as challenging (and terrifying) to do it all again on NG

    As close to essential as any game in this console generation.

  • feistycheese #4 1 year ago

    'Skynet. Who knew it would begin with Atlus' servers? '

    Even the T-1000 would have a tough time with this game.

    Well happy to see a community keeping a great game alive and kicking, fully deserving its extended shelf life

  • Gao #5 1 year ago

    They should run the servers atleast till they bring out the sequel.

    Or are they giving a clue that the sequel will be out next winter?

  • TaniumZX #6 1 year ago

    I'd like to think I could pick the game up whenever (next year maybe) and always be able to play online. Seems like there is always a catch and life is never simple!

  • Stomp224 #7 1 year ago

    Atlus published the game in the US, so how about some news of Namco Bandai's plans? I haven't been able to play as much as Id like, and considering I had trouble with my original play-through, Im damn sure gonna need help on NG+! :o

  • BabyJesus #8 1 year ago

    Atlus are awesome other publishers could learn a thing or two from them.

  • BabyJesus #9 1 year ago

    @Stomp I believe namco is using Atlus' servers.

  • CraigMcG #10 1 year ago

    one of the best games i have played in 20 years of gaming and probably the best game on ps3

  • Phantom_Dynamite #11 1 year ago

    I have decided to own both HD brothers now and bought myself Demons Souls for Xmas.

    When I got it in the post it was the yank version does this mean I have to share servers with them, and not my English and European Bretheren???

  • riceNpea #12 1 year ago

    'When I got it in the post it was the yank version does this mean I have to share servers with them, and not my English and European Bretheren??? '


    no you plank. i own a jap car but i dont have to go to japan to drive it

  • Cataferal #13 1 year ago

    ^ It's a valid question. My asian copy runs on seperate servers to the US version. There's no overlap between each userbase - although it may be a different story for the EU and US versions if Atlus maintains both servers.

    Sorry PhantomDynamite; I'm not 100% sure of my answer to this, but I'd be inclined to say you're stuck in the US realm with that copy.
    Edited by Cataferal at 17/12/10 @ 23:39

  • Phantom_Dynamite #14 1 year ago

    @Cataferal

    Thanks mate I was pretty sure I would be seeing as the 3 different regions all have seperate servers, and some one else mentioned it to me I was just looking for a little confermation.

    @riceNpea

    Your the plank geezer WTF has cars got to do with game servers, as Cataferal said he has the Jap version and he has to play on the Japanese servers, same with europe and America.

  • Stop-gap #15 1 year ago

    Good to hear DS will remain with us in full for a while yet, but this is the problem with having on line elements and small publishers. Can you imagine the number of semi-defunct games you'd wind up with after a few years if everything insisted on having an on line aspect?

  • G-Money #16 1 year ago

    "no you plank. i own a jap car but i dont have to go to japan to drive it"

    Jap car owner calls forum poster plank - lol irony in action!

  • MaoZedong #17 1 year ago

    Post deleted at 09:40:08 17-12-2011

  • Lunastra78 #18 1 year ago

    The Eurogamer review of the Japanese version was the first I heard about this game and what got me interested in it. So thanks for that, EG!

  • SlapLaB #19 1 year ago

    It's great news.
    The peculiar thing about DS is that although it's essentially a single-player game, you still need to be online to enjoy it fully (try to play it without the bloodstains and the messages...).

  • orangpelupa #20 1 year ago

    hmm, cant they just release a patch for the client that enable to connect to private servers. Then also release the server for public.

    that way the online will live for long time. Maybe also release mod tools.

    if the game will be "avandoned" why not just Free the online from PSN "shackles"?
    the community will take good care.

  • MeBrains #21 1 year ago

    Have this but I find it too difficult.

    Played Ninja Gaiden Sigma 2 as well - sometimes mentioned as being hard - without a problem, but this.

    Damn. But hell yeah, it is a great game. Very well made and great to hear they'll be supporting the servers longer than planned.

  • Mr.DNA #22 1 year ago

    If you own a PS3 and you haven't bought Demon's Souls then you are a disgrace to humanity. Harsh, but fair.

  • djed #23 1 year ago

    Hmm, taking the servers offline is like killing an integral part of the single-player game as well (as has been mentioned). At the very least they would have to create a "pseudo-online"-patch that includes random text-stains etc...

  • itsfuzzy #24 1 year ago

    Dont ever take these servers offline. I would have never beaten the Flamelurker without summoning for help. And im bloody well stuck on the Maneaters at the end of the creepy level, 3-2 i think. So ill need help. Classic game, but dont ever take these servers offline.

  • ToAks #25 1 year ago

    fantastic game and good to hear servers will be up longer.

  • Bangaioh #26 1 year ago

    Any DLC news for DS?

  • thedgam #27 1 year ago

    This is Harsh, Evaluate me.

  • BuddyChrist #28 1 year ago

    Top marks for bringing back the word "plank". I'm going to start using that rather than my more offensive words. Hehe. Plank.

    Demon Souls is tough, but it had that frustrating curse of allowing you to miss chances for good.

  • itsfuzzy #29 1 year ago

    Atlus you have a heart of gold, dont let them take it from you. . .