Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition Will Be a ‘Straight Port’, May Not Be a GfWL Title

In case you’re interested in having more information on the upcoming Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition, the PC port of last year’s console exclusive action-RPG Dark Souls, two reports have just surfaced, based on the Namco Bandai event at which the port was announced.

First, EDGE has some snippets on whether the title will use Games for Windows Live (the chance spawned yet another petition) or not and whether the consoles will get the new content in form of DLC:

“[Live] is the established server that we used for the Xbox 360 version – that’s the main reason we picked it,” he said. “But the partnership decision is still ongoing. We might have another announcement soon regarding the platform we’ll be using.”

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Miyazakiwas similarly tight-lipped on whether or not the extra chapter being added to the PC version, Artorias Of The Abyss, would be coming to console, either as DLC or in a full retail release. “It’s completely understandable that people who bought the console version have those questions,) he said. “However, as the director of Dark Souls I cannot answer that right now.) With the emphasis very much on the final two words, it seems Xbox 360 and PS3 owners may have to wait until E3 for clarification.

While VG247 has an article-style longer piece, although some of the information contained is really disappointing:

First up, support for a keyboard and mouse will be included but minimal, with Miyazaki recommending use of a game pad and confirming that the menu and inventory screens will remain unaltered. Graphic options will be similarly sparse, which Miyazaki attributes to Namco Bandai requesting that the game be a (straight port); this may even rule out optimisation in areas such as Blighttown and New Londo Ruins where the developer’s technical achievements on console were not able to quite match that of their artistic vision, resulting in frame-rate issues.

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Fortunately, a few, more tangible, facts surface concerning the new content that will be included in this release, all of which has been designed since the game’s console launch last year. A new chapter, set some time after players have battled through Sen’s Fortress, will support new story elements set in the kingdom of Lodran.

Three or four new bosses will make an appearance, including the Dark Knight Artorias, along with some new NPCs, enemies, equipment and a new PvP matchmaking system, as detailed on the game’s website, though there won’t be any new covenants. Miyazaki is reticent to specify the exact form that these new bosses will take and further announcements concerning the new content will be made in the coming months, with E3 likely to yield the majority of the details ahead of the August 24 release date.