Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice’s March 2019 release reignited gaming’s difficulty debate when journalists requested an easy mode for FromSoftware’s samurai game, with the community responding that challenge IS the experience.
The Game
Sekiro abandoned Dark Souls’ RPG elements and co-op assistance for a fixed protagonist and mandatory mastery. The posture/deflection system required perfect timing. Bosses like Genichiro and Isshin demanded learning, not grinding. The game was uncompromising - beat it through skill or don’t beat it.
Easy Mode Request
Gaming journalists and accessibility advocates argued for difficulty options to make the game more inclusive. The response was divided: some agreed accessibility matters, others insisted challenge was Sekiro’s artistic vision and diluting it would betray the experience FromSoftware intended.
”Git Gud” Culture
The debate crystallized gaming’s philosophical split. Should all players experience all content regardless of skill? Or can games gate experiences behind mastery requirements? Sekiro’s Game of the Year win (2019) suggested the industry respected uncompromising vision.
“Hesitation is defeat” (a boss quote) became the community’s response to easy mode requests - the game teaches you to commit, and that lesson is the point.
Sources: IGN 9.5/10 review, Forbes difficulty debate