Bloodborne is as good a reason as any to own a PlayStation console. However, since its release in 2015, fans have been calling out for a Bloodborne PC port. And let’s face it, it isn’t hard to see why.
Bloodborne is an unforgettable experience that blends deeply rewarding gameplay mechanics with an engrossing world of mystery and forbidden knowledge. When the game was released on PS4 exclusively it was a bit of a coup to say the least. Even from day one, players were hungry for a Bloodborne PC port.
Is Bloodborne on PC now? The world was awash with Souls mania and gamers couldn’t get enough of the challenging cycle of violence, death, and resurrection. PC gamers waited patiently, believing that, as with many console exclusives, it would only be a matter of time until they were allowed to enter into the fray. However, as years went by, gamers were left wondering if a Bloodborne PC port – or even an unofficial Bloodborne emulator – would ever happen.
While many titles have attempted to mimic the Souls formula, there is a pedigree and hype that is exclusively attached to FromSoftware games. The studio’s creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki is generally thought of as the father of this style of game, with many fans feeling there is simply no substitute.
Souls-inspired games such as Nioh and Lords of the Fallen are plentiful and available on other platforms. However, their existence has not abated calls for a Bloodborne PC version.
READ MORE: The 9 best PC controllers you can get your hands on
Bloodborne on PS Now (which is available on PC)
A workaround for this conundrum regarding Bloodborne on PC is actually using Sony’s streaming platform PS Now. This service provides subscribers with a library of games that can be played on a variety of devices including Bloodborne Complete Edition.
While it isn’t an actual Bloodborne PC port, it is an effective way to play the game on PC. However, before you get carried away and hand over your hard-earned cash, a few issues need to be brought up about the Bloodborne remake.
First of all, the subscription will cost you $19.99 USD a month, or $99.99 USD for a full year. If you are planning on rushing through the game (or at least try to), then a single month could be a viable option. However, the game is difficult in terms of how hard is Bloodborne and how long to beat Bloodborne so it may be worthwhile investing in a longer subscription, particularly if there are other titles in the library that you are interested in.
Unfortunately, the issue of cost isn’t the only turnstile we will come across. To access PS Now you must be located in Europe, North America, or Japan. This means that this writer, and my fellow Australians, have essentially been asked to gather our things and leave the party.
So, how to play Bloodborne on PC for those of you interested? Our search for the holy grail of a Bloodborne PC version must go on. How long is Bloodborne PC port going to take to release? As of September, 2022, it’s still being reported that it will take some extra time.
One final piece of information for those that plan to use PS Now: you will need an official PlayStation 4 controller and a PlayStation Network membership. While these costs will add up, it will still come in at significantly less than purchasing a whole new console. It’s not ideal. But it is an option.
Unconfirmed Bloodborne PC rumours
In June 2020, Twitch streamer CaseyExplosion sent the internet into a bit of a Bloodborne PC frenzy via Twitter. In an odd stunt, she promised to donate $100 to charity if someone could send her solid proof that Bloodborne was being ported to PC.
It didn’t take long for her to claim that an unspecified source had done just that.
Hey new followers.
So, about that Bloodborne PC port. You would've been hearing about it today anyway, because as far as I understand it, it was due to be announced at the now-delayed PS5 event that was scheduled for today. pic.twitter.com/93KOIlLr6D
— Casey Explosion (@CaseyExplosion) June 5, 2020
Fast-forward to 2021 and there have been no new Bloodborne release date announcements, or even Reddit Bloodborne rumours on Bloodborne PC Reddit pages for that matter. Not to mention that if the Bloodborne steam announcement had been planned in June 2020, it seems ridiculous that they wouldn’t have found an opportune replacement time between then and now.
I don’t want to call anyone a bullshitter. But I want to call bullshit. While I think it’s possible that there is a remaster in the works, it’s unlikely it has anything to do with this situation.
Why releasing a new version of Bloodborne makes sense
The rationale that Sony and FromSoftware would be keen to make Bloodborne more widely available has serious legs. As one of the crown jewels of the Souls lineage, Bloodborne has great pulling power. However, the idea that people that are going to buy a PS4 or PS5 to play a five-year-old game just isn’t sound. It would make a lot more sense to utilise their asset to create more buzz and hype for their future projects.
By allowing a Bloodborne PC port to happen, Sony would demonstrate to PC gamers the advantage of owning a Sony console; the exclusive games at the time of release. It would also lessen the risk of unofficial Bloodborne emulators being developed and gaining popularity – often people are willing to part with a little cash for something that works perfectly, rather than going in free on software that’s rife with bugs.
If five years of waiting hasn’t already hammered this point home, then the experience of finally playing the game likely will.
Similarly, by making Bloodborne accessible to a new pool of players, FromSoftware will be providing a fantastic reminder of their pedigree. There is quite simply no better advertisement for their highly-anticipated Elden Ring than Bloodborne… other than Bloodborne with a fresh coat of paint.
This is where the issue of a Bloodborne PC version intersects with calls for a PS5 update. Fans want to experience the game at 60FPS. They are in fact howling for a Bloodborne PS5 upgrade and considering the games that have already been given updates, it sure is curious that Bloodborne hasn’t.
However, if a Bloodborne 60FPS version of the game were to be released simultaneously on the PS5 and PC, that would certainly solve a few issues, wouldn’t it? It would be like hitting two birds with one stone – quite thrilling.
Sony’s first-party PC ports: start the hype train?
Open world zombie slaying simulator Days Gone is the latest first-party game to join an ever-growing list of Sony’s once exclusive titles being ported to PC. So far, Horizon Zero Dawn and Death Stranding have already been successfully brought over and Sony has done nothing to quash rumours that this will become the new norm.
In an interview with GQ, PlayStation’s man in charge Jim Ryan shared that “a whole slate” of PC ports are on the way following Days Gone.
God of War (2018) is the latest Sony first-party title to be confirmed for PC, with a release date of January 14 2022.
Embark on Kratos’ deeply personal quest into the brutal Norse realms when God of War (2018) comes to PC on January 14, 2022. Details: https://t.co/WCCbnZa3L9 pic.twitter.com/HEPfQ1ello
— PlayStation (@PlayStation) October 20, 2021
Considering this, and how well other Souls-like games have done on PC, it really does feel like it is only a matter of time until an official Bloodborne PC port becomes available.
Unusual server maintenance theories
It doesn’t take much to get Bloodborne fans talking about remasters and the rumoured Bloodborne PC port. Recently, Reddit users, on the game’s community page, have been speculating about unusual Bloodborne co op server activity. Essentially, it all boils down to this: over the last few years servers have rarely been effected by maintenance for more than an hour or two.
Last month, servers were down for a lengthy period twice in two weeks. It was suggested, and indeed rallied around, that this unusual activity could be a sign that developers were experimenting with cross-platform functionality between PC and PlayStation. Other commenters thought it more likely these server issues related to the rumoured PlayStation 5 upgrade.
Either way, any movement is good movement as far as we are concerned. Unless of course it’s the Orphan of Kos coming at you with his blisteringly fast array of swings, screams and slams… Sorry, the trauma still feels so fresh to this old hunter.
Bloodborne PC port debunked?
Lance McDonald, the legend behind the 60FPS Bloodborne mod, came out a while ago and said that he had debunked the Bloodborne PC port rumours. His justification for this claim was that he “spoke to developers at a number of studios rumoured to be working on it”.
In a perfect world that might qualify as proof, but in the video game industry it means next to nothing. Developers are often legally contracted to keep projects confidential. So that’s that.
It should also be noted that Lance admitted his “debunking” was over a year ago, and that a lot can happen in that timeframe. Recently, he simply stated that he isn’t interested in further speculation until something official is announced. It was online publications that attempted to turn that tweet (seen below) into a fresh declaration.
So as you can see, there has been no debunking. “Even in this darkest of nights, I see the moonlight.”
A lot of people got angry at me when I debunked this nearly a year ago (I literally debunked it, I spoke to developers at a number of studios rumoured to be working on it). Since then I’ve decided to stop researching Bloodborne PC rumours and I’ll happily believe it when I see it https://t.co/w8SXmbYptr
— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) April 11, 2021
Bloodborne: Hunter’s Edition rumours
A 4chan user, going by the name Demonite, has claimed there are concrete plans to release a remastered version of Bloodborne on PC and PS5. Reportedly, this version of the game will fix the biggest criticism of the original by increasing the framerate from 30fps to a much more respectable 60fps. Although it should be noted, at least according to Demonite, that the PC version will surprisingly be locked at this framerate.
This rumoured remaster will be titled Bloodborne: Hunter’s Edition (despite the fact that Bloodborne Complete Edition already exists), and will allow players to experience the game in 4K resolution with ray tracing. Various online publications have really got behind this story, even going as far to claim that the Cathedral Ward and Castle Cainhurst areas will be expanded upon – which to be honest, could just be code for introducing a newly functioning inter-area doorway.
It has also been stated that Bloodborne: Hunter’s Edition will include three new right-handed weapons (Cainhurst Flail, Coldblood Coil, and Kos Placenta), along with three left-handed weapons (The Cosmic Revolver, Impact Rifle, and The Great One’s Touch). Well, I guess we shall see.
Nvidia GeForce Now leak offers new insight
A leaked list of games that are not yet supported on Nvidia’s GeForce Now streaming service has sent the internet into a bit of a spiral. The rationale is that a game that’s listed as currently unsupported on a PC platform must eventually be coming to PC. On this list are a number of PlayStation exclusives, which according to rumour have PC ports in the works.
Rather disappointingly, a Bloodborne PC port is not on the list. Nvidia has already stated that the list, while authentic, is “speculative” and therefore not proof of anything. Whether this is the truth or an attempt to save face we will have to wait and see.
Until then, “May you find your worth in the waking world”, friend.
Play the Bloodborne PSX demake on PC now
Ok, so it’s probably not quite what you had in mind, but there is a Bloodborne PSX demake that is currently playable on PC right now. While the demake doesn’t equate to the full game, there is a fair share of the Yharnam content to explore. The game also has an ending so it won’t just leave you wondering what happens next (any more than the original game at least).
The Bloodborne PSX demake can be found here and is available for free.
Bloodborne PC or PS5 announcement at State of Play 2022?
The last two days have seen a bunch of fresh Bloodborne PC port (and PS5 edition) rumours surface. However, these rumours were quickly discredited and traced back to a deliberately misleading Tweet.
Fans should perhaps wait another 24 hours before abandoning all hope though. Sony’s 2022 State of Play showcase is just around the corner, and could be the perfect opportunity to tease a new Bloodborne remaster or remake for PC and/or PS5. The stream goes live 8AM AEST and can be accessed here.
Bloodborne PC Update: Unfortunately, a Bloodborne PC port was not announced at Sony’s State of Play event. Rather, 2018’s Spider-Man will be coming to PC.
