If you've ever set foot within the cacophonous, blood-encrusted hallways of Demon's Souls, you know that sure footing isn't always guaranteed. The only assurance you'll ever have is the one from the insidiously designed RPG's North American publisher, Atlus, which has pledged to keep online servers safe until the game's second anniversary, coming up in October 2011. Before this announcement, servers weren't set to fall away until "at least" March 2011.

Of course, since this is Demon's Souls, the kindness of Atlus comes at a terrible cost. While you enjoy the continuing online features and a new, Pure White World Tendency event taking place from December 20 until the beginning of 2011, spare a thought for the children sitting in a Californian basement, dutifully turning the server cranks.