FromSoftware and Rockstar Games news: Demon's Souls prototype and GTA VI Netflix special

Game researcher Lance McDonald has unearthed prototype footage and presentation materials from a 2007 Sony Computer Entertainment event called "Gameshare 4." The materials reveal that the influential title Demon's Souls was originally being developed with an optional first-person perspective, a significant departure from the locked third-person camera that became a hallmark of the Souls series.

The prototype also featured a fixed third-person camera that followed the player rigidly, utilizing a control scheme similar to The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion. Other notable differences included unused creature designs, such as men with snake heads and crocodiles, as well as different level environments. The materials also detailed an early "ghost system" where deceased players could enter others' worlds to complete objectives.

Separately, Take-Two Interactive CEO Strauss Zelnick has announced that Grand Theft Auto VI will receive an "Extended Look" special via Netflix on August 27. The event is intended to reach a broader audience beyond core gamers and is described by Zelnick as a "must-see event" that will feel more like a Netflix show than a traditional trailer.