[Update]: After some technical troubles, online features are now back on the PC version of Dark Souls 3, while the rest of the series will follow soon.

Even though their difficulty is often vastly overstated, the Dark Souls games aren't exactly the most welcoming to beginners. Yet, despite all of this, Bandai Namco has now revealed that the Dark Souls series has been astonishingly successful!

In terms of actual numbers, they have announced that the Dark Souls series has cumulatively sold over 27 million copies! A lot of that success can be attributed to Dark Souls 3 as it alone has managed to sell over 10 million copies on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4 combined.

For a series that started off extremely niche and practically required players to beg for it to be ported to PC, this level of success really is extraordinary. I can only hope FromSoftware's next game Elden Ring will push the envelope even further and hopefully introduce a whole bunch of new players to the Souls genre.

Speaking of which, if you haven't already given the series a try, I would heartily recommend starting with Dark Souls 1. It is my favorite game ever made, and I do not say that lightly. With a massive and interconnected world, plenty of viable playstyles and unique weapon choices, as well as a difficulty curve that always keeps you on edge, Dark Souls 1 really is a one of a kind game.

Have fun, and don't get too frustrated if you die - it's all part of the experience!