Hidetaka Miyazaki, the director behind critically acclaimed titles such as Elden Ring and the Dark Souls series, has expressed bewilderment regarding persistent rumors that he harbors a foot fetish. These rumors have circulated within the gaming community for years, largely stemming from a recurring design choice in his games: several prominent female characters appear barefoot.
Characters like the Maiden in Black from Demon's Souls, Sister Friede and Priscilla from the Dark Souls games, and even Malenia in Elden Ring are notable for their lack of footwear. While the lore behind some of these designs, such as Malenia's prosthetic limbs, offers explanations, the visual motif has fueled community speculation.
Miyazaki touched upon this during a September 2026 interview with The Guardian, while also discussing the frequent imagery of hands in his work. He stated that the recurrence of hands is not something he consciously focuses on, suggesting it may be a subconscious element. Regarding the foot fetish rumors, he admitted, "I'm honestly not sure where this comes from."
Instead of personal preference, Miyazaki indicated that these character designs are intended to serve symbolic purposes, reflecting themes of "ruin and rebirth." He elaborated that these themes are central to many of his games, exploring the human condition on a cosmological scale. Miyazaki noted that his tendency to lean towards darker futures in his narratives allows for the exploration of potential rebirth, finding beauty in a fleeting sense of hope.
In other news concerning his upcoming title, The Duskbloods, IGN's Michael Higham described the game in a hands-on preview as "FromSoftware’s most complex and interesting game yet." Miyazaki also confirmed in discussions surrounding the game that FromSoftware remains committed to developing single-player experiences.