Dark Souls

Dark Souls in 2016-2017 (peaking at 917 viewers on StreamerHouse) likely refers to the original PC version's resurgence before the May 2018 Remastered release, possibly boosted by Dark Souls III's March 2016 launch driving franchise interest. The PC port from 2012 was infamous for requiring DSfix mod to be playable, capped at 720p/30fps without community intervention. By 2016, the Souls community was massive, with speedrunners, lore YouTubers, and PvP tryhards keeping the first game alive years post-launch. FromSoftware's design—interconnected world, methodical combat, obscure storytelling—had influenced an entire generation of developers. StreamerHouse's 2016-2017 coverage caught Dark Souls at peak cultural relevance, when "Souls-like" was a recognized genre and every third indie game was trying to recreate Lordran's magic. The 2016 playerbase surge coincided with Dark Souls III hype, as newcomers went back to experience where it all started (or tried to—many quit at Capra Demon). Dark Souls in 2016 was no longer just a game; it was a cultural touchstone, a rite of passage, and a design philosophy that had reshaped action RPGs forever. The remaster would come later, but the original's jank, challenge, and brilliance had already cemented its legacy.