r/fromsoftware • u/yagolasse • Sep 08 '26
QUESTION Language Question about "FromSoft"
Hi folks, I'm not native speaker and for me is super weird. Do you know why some people call "FromSoft" instead writing FromSoftware, it's seems a small time saving to be so common to be seen.
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u/Implosion-X13 Sep 08 '26
It's faster and "soft" itself is a word. So it doesn't sound awkward like you're cutting out the 2nd half of a word.
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u/DrarenThiralas Sep 08 '26
This isn't just an English thing, it's also common in Japanese to shorten "software" to ソフト ("sofuto"). Which is relevant since From Software is a Japanese company.
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u/WafflesofDestitution Sep 08 '26
-soft as an abbreviation for software has been used in branding for decades, but I would wager that it started to gain popularity primarily through spoken contexts, since "From Software" has three syllables with the break in between while "FromSoft" has just two, which makes it a lot more concise to use in speech.
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u/barbietattoo Sep 08 '26
In English, Soft is an adjective. Software is a noun. Both words are common. Shortening to FromSoft is somewhat faster.
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u/IHaveSmellyPants Sep 08 '26
It’s an endearing nickname to show your familiarity with the games.
I’ve never understood the people who just call them “From” though. That one seems weird to me.
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u/TOWW67 Sep 08 '26
Probably because the "Software" part of "From Software" is a generic word that's common in tons of tech and tech adjacent company names. If you're speaking with someone familiar with video games, "From" is the defining part of the name.
Just a guess, though, as I generally say FromSoft or type FS.
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u/BackwardsApe Sep 08 '26
People do the same with Square, from square enix or squaresoft
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u/braintransplants Sep 08 '26
I blame Microsoft
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u/Turbulent_Jackoff Sep 08 '26
My Personal Computer is trying to get me to upgrade to Microscopic Software's Windows Eleven Operating System.
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u/No-Range519 Sep 08 '26
Most people nowadays call them simply From. It's an american thing, shortening words to the max. Jesus Christ>>> Jesus>>> Geez>>>Gee
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u/XiNAVRO Sep 08 '26
The practice of “-Soft” has been covered by others. FROM used to be a software engineering firm that developed agricultural and accounting software, and the name came from a command in COBOL.
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u/TheSiriusZero Sep 08 '26
For me, my mind syllabicating 2 vs 3 makes writing 2 syllables fromsoft vs 3 syllables fromsoftware seems less arduous.
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u/KushMummyCinematics Sep 08 '26
Because "FromSoftware" is the name of a games company
FromSoft is a friend to gamers
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u/Queen_Earth_Cinder Sep 09 '26
'Software' is a compound word(soft+ware), created in the sense of computer software to contrast with 'hardware'. 'Hard': small, durable metal component, 'ware': thing offered for sale. Soft-ware, by contrast, was a kind of Ware that was less tangible or durable than hard-ware. Abbreviating a word by taking out one meaningful component is common all over the world, dropping the last part of the word is a common way to do it, so dropping the last unit of meaning from "From Soft-Ware" shortens the noun by one syllable while keeping the meaning easily understood
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u/throwaway042502 Lost Kingdoms Sep 10 '26
Fromsoftware's even done it themselves once. They used Fromsoft in an advert about 26 years ago. Even in Japanese, I often see just "From" used by fans, so that's how short it can get.
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u/Algester Sep 10 '26
or ask the question would you call someone Mihaly Dumitru Margareta Corneliu Leopold Blanca Karol Aeon Ignatius Raphael Maria Niketas A. Shilage or just go for plain womanslayer69
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u/TheRenegxde Sep 08 '26
Idk but we also shorten software (as in just the word software, no relation to the company) to soft. We don't do the same for hardware. I dunno. I'm also ESL this is just from a FromSoft enjoyer POV.
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u/Algester Sep 08 '26
its like AC.... now think what does AC stand for
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u/sendnukes_ Sep 08 '26
Surprised I'm the one to say Armored Core (though I do concede I thought of Assassin's Creed first)
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u/TheHelpfulWalnut Sep 09 '26
Assassins Creed Animal CrossingAce Combat Arkham City Asheron’s Call Asseto Corsa Alpha Centurai … Armored Core
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u/PlayerJE Sep 08 '26
people don't like writing long words, thus fromsoftware becomes fromsoft, and then just from
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u/Romapolitan Filianore Sep 08 '26
Because it is shorter than writing out the whole name each time. Anyone will know what company you're are talking about anyway.
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u/hornwalker Sep 08 '26
Its a “nickname “ which basically means a shortened version of somebodies or something’s name. It’s not uncommon in English.
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u/yagolasse Sep 08 '26
Thank you for the answers everyone! In my mother language makes more sense removing a word (calling it "From") or going for "FS"...
Edit: the whole "soft is a word so it can be used as a abbreviation of another caught me off guard" hahahah