Elden Ring Director Miyazaki Finally Responds to Foot Fetish Rumors

Ever noticed how many barefoot characters roam the lands between? From the Maiden in Black to Malenia, FromSoftware's worlds are full of shoeless women. And now, the man behind them all, Hidetaka Miyazaki, has finally spoken out about the internet's favorite rumor.

In a recent interview with The Guardian, Miyazaki was asked about the hand imagery in his upcoming game, The Duskbloods. But the conversation quickly turned to something else: the persistent fan theory that he has a thing for feet. "It's not necessarily something I'm consistently aware of--maybe it's something subconscious coming through," he said. "Take a look online and there's a rumor that I have a bit of a thing for feet, but I'm not honestly sure where this comes from."

Seriously, Miyazaki, we're just calling it like we see it. For years, players have pointed out the abundance of barefoot women in his games. Demons' Souls had the Maiden in Black. Dark Souls gave us Priscilla, Gwynevere, Sister Friede, and even Maneater Mildred. Elden Ring's Malenia rocks bare feet, albeit metal prosthetics. And if you've ever walked on the beaches of Elden Ring, you know the game actually distinguishes between barefoot and shod players.

So what's the deal? According to Miyazaki, it's all about capturing the human essence. "I feel like I'm trying to depict some side of human nature or the human existence that is difficult to describe," he elaborated. That's a fancy way of saying feet are humanizing, maybe? Or perhaps it's just a stylistic choice that has spiraled into a meme.

But Miyazaki insists this isn't a Quentin Tarantino situation. Unlike the director famous for his foot shots, Miyazaki claims it's not a conscious fixation. And to be fair, plenty of other games are way more overt about their foot focus, often with less subtlety.

So, are you convinced by Miyazaki's explanation, or do you think there's more to this story? And will you be paying extra attention to the feet in The Duskbloods when it launches? Let us know in the comments!