Dark Souls III

Dark Souls III is an action role-playing game made by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It came out in Japan for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One on March 24, 2016, then launched worldwide on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Windows on April 12, 2016. It closes out the Dark Souls trilogy, and series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki returned to direct it after only supervising Dark Souls II.

The story takes place in the kingdom of Lothric, where the First Flame that keeps the Age of Fire alive is dying out. Prince Lothric, who was meant to rekindle it by sacrificing himself, refuses, and the earlier rulers who once linked the fire, called the Lords of Cinder, leave their thrones at Firelink Shrine. The protagonist, the Ashen One, is an Unkindled warrior raised from death with orders to bring those lords back. After that task is done, the journey ends at the Kiln of the First Flame, and the final outcome changes based on choices made along the way.

Played from a third-person view, the game has the player explore linked areas, fight enemies and bosses, and rest at bonfires that act as checkpoints. Defeated foes give souls, which serve as both money and experience; souls are left behind on death and vanish for good if the character dies again before collecting them. Fights draw on health, stamina, and focus points, with focus spent on spells and on the new weapon and shield Skills. Estus Flasks heal, Ashen Estus Flasks restore focus, and the split between the two can be adjusted. Online play lets players summon others to help or be invaded by hostile players.

Two expansions followed: Ashes of Ariandel in October 2016, set in a decaying painted world, and The Ringed City in March 2017, which leads to a ruined city at the end of the world. Dark Souls III: The Fire Fades Edition, bundling the base game with both expansions, was released on April 21, 2017.

Work on the game started in mid-2013 and ran alongside Bloodborne, which Miyazaki said shaped its faster pace and resource handling. Yuka Kitamura wrote the main score, with added music from Motoi Sakuraba and others. Critics gave it generally favorable reviews and many saw it as a fitting end to the series, though some pointed to technical problems and a more linear layout. It passed 10 million units sold by May 2020 and was named Ultimate Game of the Year at the 2016 Golden Joystick Awards.