Shawn Layden cites complex rights issues for Bloodborne delays

Former PlayStation executive Shawn Layden has identified complex intellectual property rights as a primary obstacle to the development of a Bloodborne sequel or remaster. Speaking on the podcast The Trophy Room, Layden explained that because the franchise involves multiple stakeholders, including Sony, developer FromSoftware, and FromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa Corporation, reaching a consensus on new projects is a significant challenge.

Layden noted that beyond legal hurdles, there is the creative difficulty of producing a follow-up that respects the original game while attempting to recreate its massive cultural phenomenon. The original Bloodborne, released in 2015, remains a highly regarded title within the PlayStation ecosystem, but its development was a collaboration between FromSoftware and Sony’s now-closed Japan Studio, which may further complicate the distribution of rights.

While fans have long requested a PC port or a PlayStation 5 remaster, no official announcements have been made regarding these updates. Other industry figures have offered differing theories, such as developer Hidetaka Miyazaki being occupied with other major projects, but Layden’s assessment focuses on the bureaucratic difficulty of coordinating multiple corporate entities.