According to Hidetaka Miyazaki, President and CEO of FromSoftware as well as the game's director, there are rumors online labeling him a "foot fetishist," but he claims to be unaware of where such说法 originated. He discussed this matter in an interview with the overseas media outlet The Guardian.
Before becoming president of FromSoftware in 2014, Hidetaka Miyazaki served as director for games such as Demon's Souls and Dark Souls. Since then, he has continued to direct titles like Dark Souls III and Elden Ring. He is currently directing his upcoming new release, Bloodborne: Dusk, scheduled for launch later this year.
The Guardian conducted an interview with Hidetaka Miyazaki regarding Bloodborne: Dusk, discussing his intentions behind the "representation of hands and feet" in his works. For instance, in the trailer for Bloodborne: Dusk, there is a memorable cutscene: a man slumps in a chair, a woman lying on the ground gently touches the back of his hand, and then a blood-red crest resembling a wheel appears.
Additionally, Elden Ring featured the memorable enemy "Fingercreepers"—monsters with giant hands and numerous fingers. When asked about these unique "hand" representations in his works, Miyazaki stated, "It's not necessarily something I've been consciously doing, but perhaps something has leaked out from my subconscious."
Subsequently, Miyazaki mentioned seeing an online rumor suggesting he has "a bit of a foot fetish." However, he genuinely does not know where this rumor originated.
In works produced with Miyazaki's involvement, there are indeed many designs related to bare feet. For example, the Black clad Fire Keeper in Demon's Souls appears barefoot; in Dark Souls, Priscilla the Crossbreed, the boss located in the snow-covered "Painted World of Ariamis," also walks barefoot on the snow.
Priscilla also possesses a rather special combat mechanic: when she enters stealth mode, players can determine her position by following footprints in the snow. Furthermore, in other works involving Miyazaki, barefoot characters frequently appear, and there are even pieces of armor that cause the wearer to become barefoot when equipped.
As a result, some fan communities have even spawned meme-like discussions, suggesting this reflects Miyazaki's "preferences."
However, this unique depiction of hands and feet does not seem to be intentional. Miyazaki analyzed, "I feel like I'm trying to depict certain aspects of humanity or human existence that are difficult to describe in words." Rather than being a personal preference, this striking portrayal of hands and feet may have naturally formed in the process of attempting to depict humanity itself.
On the other hand, Hidetaka Miyazaki's "preferences" seem to be clearly reflected in his new title, Bloodborne: Dusk. In a joint interview we previously attended, a media outlet asked him why he still includes characters with obscured eyes and an air of mystery in his games. Miyazaki responded, "I just can't help but want to cover them up... (laughs) I suppose I just like it (laughs). I enjoy mysterious beings, as well as those that are distant and evoke a sense of longing."
Perhaps it is the intertwining of Hidetaka Miyazaki's personal preferences with creative expressions stemming from his subconscious that ultimately shaped the distinctive characters and worldviews seen in the Dark Souls series and Elden Ring. In his new title, Bloodborne: Dusk, this unique Miyazaki style may continue to be a point of interest.
Bloodborne: Dusk is expected to launch on the Switch 2 platform within 2026.