How a former account manager built a video game empire
In short: At 29, Hidetaka Miyazaki had no industry experience and a career in corporate finance. Today, he is the president of FromSoftware and a celebrated auteur, having transformed the landscape of modern gaming through a signature style of punishing difficulty and environmental storytelling.
Hidetaka Miyazaki’s ascent is a rare feat in the Japanese corporate landscape. After graduating from Keio University with a degree in social science, he worked as an account manager for Oracle Corporation to fund his sister's college education. His path changed when a friend recommended the game Ico, prompting a career pivot that led him to join FromSoftware in 2004 as a designer for the Armored Core series.
Miyazaki’s design philosophy is deeply rooted in his childhood. Growing up in Shizuoka, he frequently borrowed English-language fantasy and science fiction books from his local library. Because he often could not understand the text, he relied on illustrations to fill in the narrative gaps, a technique he now employs in his games through 'flavor text' and environmental cues rather than heavy dialogue.
His most influential works, including Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Eldense Ring, are characterized by high difficulty and a sense of 'silent cooperation.' The latter was inspired by a personal memory of being stuck on a snowy road, where drivers helped push cars uphill without ever speaking. This sense of fleeting, anonymous connection became a hallmark of the 'Soulslike' subgenre.
By 2014, following the massive success of Dark Souls, Miyazaki was promoted to company president. His impact on the medium has been recognized globally; in 2023, Time named him one of the 100 Most Influential People, making him only the second game developer to receive the honor after Shigeru Miyamoto.
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