Saros Dev Aims to Emulate Dark Souls’ Success: “We’re Committed to Showcasing These Games as the Best in the Genre”

Saros is more forgiving than Returnal, yet it still delivers a punishing experience. The relentless cycle of death and revival remains central to Housemarque’s latest PlayStation 5 title. While some might have thought the studio would tone down the difficulty to attract a wider audience, it seems Housemarque is committed to honing that challenging formula for future projects, looking to FromSoftware—creators of Dark Souls and Elden Ring—as evidence that tough games can achieve significant success alongside more accessible titles.

In a recent interview, studio head and co-founder Ilari Kuittinen discussed how Saros exemplifies the “bullet ballet” subgenre that Housemarque has been developing. In this style, players must navigate through a barrage of color-coded hazards. Kuittinen noted that this design in Saros and Returnal aims to help players reach a “flow state,” where dodging projectiles becomes instinctive. He expressed hope that as the studio continues to create games in this vein, the subgenre could evolve from niche to mainstream, much like the Souls series.

Kuittinen remarked:

FromSoftware has been cultivating a similar genre for a long time, building a dedicated fan base along the way. We have two distinct titles out now—Returnal and Saros. It’s a new concept that requires educating the market so that players recognize the appeal of these flow states.

Reflecting on FromSoftware’s evolution from King’s Field to their current status, he acknowledged that while they don’t expect to reach that level, they aim to maintain their core identity and inform players that these are some of the most engaging games available. That’s our mission.

Saros launched in April, and although it didn’t dominate the charts immediately, Housemarque is optimistic that it will gain momentum as positive word-of-mouth spreads, similar to the grassroots support that Returnal received.

“It’s interesting—Returnal started to pick up steam a bit after its release,” brand director Mikael Haveri shared. “As more of the community unlocked its secrets, interest began to grow.”

Kuittinen also mentioned that Housemarque plans to expand Saros in the future, though details are still under wraps. Recently, the studio introduced a new photo mode and several new trophies to enhance the gameplay experience.

“This is just the beginning of our dialogue with the gaming community,” Kuittinen stated. “If you’ve played Saros, you know there’s plenty we can adjust and add. We’re excited to keep that momentum going.”