Demon's Souls Staying Online Into 2012

Atlus won't be shutting down the servers for PS3 action RPG Demon's Souls just yet. Today they announced that they'll continue to support the game's multiplayer into next year.

"While it comes at significant cost to us and although it has been over two years since the game revolutionized the notion of multiplayer and online functionality in an RPG, our commitment to the game and the fans that turned it into an incredible success remains as strong as ever," said Atlus spokesperson Aram Jabbari.

"While the reality is that one day the servers will ultimately close due to operation and maintenance costs, that day is not today, nor will it be this year. We're excited to continue to support one of the most significant, influential games in recent memory into its third year, and we're planning to hold more tendency events for our loyal, beloved fans. If you've been waiting to try Demon's Souls or held off with concern that it was too late to join in, the truth is that there's never been a better time to see what all the talk and awards are all about."

While Demon's Souls is primarily a single-player experience, the game's online features give it a new dimension. Players can leave hints in each other's game world. They can also step into another player's game and either help them or try to kill them.

Late last year, Atlus pledged to keep the game's servers online until Fall 2011. It seemed like a sensible time for the game's multiplayer to be shut down, considering spiritual successor Dark Souls will be arriving in the first week of October. However, Atlus isn't publishing Dark Souls so they don't have any reason to be accomodating toward that game's release schedule.