Why You Can't Play Dark Souls on PC Online Right Now

Sorry, PC folks.

If you’ve been hoping to play Dark Souls games competitively online on your PC anytime soon, unfortunately, you’ll have to wait. The game’s developer and publisher have revealed that this will only be possible again after they release Elden Ring.

But why is Dark Souls’ return to PC online delayed? Let’s find out.

Dark Souls Games Will Continue to Be Inaccessible on PC Online

It looks like you'll be able to play Elden Ring before you can play Dark Souls competitively online on your PC again.

That’s because Dark Souls’ publisher, Bandai Namco, and developer, FromSoftware, have revealed that Dark Souls' player-versus-player games will only go back online on PC after Elden Ring is released. Elden Ring is scheduled to be released on February 25, 2022.

The Dark Souls Twitter account made the announcement in a post on the social media platform, but how does the release of Elden Ring tie in with being able to play Dark Souls competitively online on PC again?

Why You'll Have to Wait Longer to Play Dark Souls on PC Online

As you may be aware, Bandai Namco and FromSoftware previously shut down all the servers for Dark Souls Remastered, 2, and 3 because of an issue with online services.

The two companies are extending their investigation into the technical difficulties (that have plagued the online version of Dark Souls on PC when playing others) to Elden Ring.

In other words, the companies want to make sure that Elden Ring isn’t exposed to the same vulnerabilities that were found on the online PC version of Dark Souls—a remote code execution (RCE) exploit that leaves your device vulnerable to hackers who could infiltrate your system.

Related: How to Optimize Windows 10 for Gaming and Performance Bandai Namco and FromSoftware probably want to proceed with caution, to ensure that you are not further exposed to hackers, which is why they are hitting the brakes on bringing Dark Souls online back to your PC again.

Bandai Namco Is Finally Taking the Dark Souls' Community's Concerns Seriously

The Dark Souls' community has been trying to get the game series' publishers to do something about the vulnerabilities and security risks on its online platform.

The company is finally listening to Dark Souls fans, after having dragged its feet in doing something about these vulnerabilities over the years.

Hopefully, Bandai Namco will step up security for its online gaming platforms and respond promptly when any issues or potential vulnerabilities arise, especially considering that a situation like this isn't uncommon in the gaming (or any online) community.

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