FromSoftware's latest dark fantasy RPG Elden Ring is tantalizingly close to being revealed in full, even after FromSoftware's decision to push back the release date to February 22, 2022. A cascade of new gameplay footage, some official, some leaked, has confirmed many interesting rumors about Elden Ring's gameplay and storyline while also debunking several others. Below is a short list of some particularly juicy rumors and exciting theories that were unfortunately shattered, much like the Elden Ring itself.
The 2019 announcement trailer for Elden Ring excited RPG gamers and FromSoftware fans for any number of reasons, from it being the newest project from famed gameplay developer Hidetaka Miyazaki (and the spiritual successor to his punishingly difficult Dark Souls trilogy of fantasy RPGs) to the collaboration with George R.R. Martin, the fantasy author behind the A Song Of Ice And Fire series, to design the backstory, setting, and supporting characters of Elden Ring. But plenty of speculation after a great deal of silence only seemed to add to the ongoing fervor.
A two-year delay between the announcement trailer and any new updates about Elden Ring and its contents fanned flames that seemed determined not to die, and during this drought of information, FromSoftware fans found solace in creative activities like fake game lore for Elden Ring and descriptions of battles with made-up bosses such as "Glaive Master Hodir." Fans also poured over "gameplay leaks" from unverified sources, and debated the theories of content creators who looked at Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, then used the arc of their evolving game design to predict new features Elden Ring would have. Some of these rumors were shown to be true after the Elden Ring gameplay trailer released on June 11 of this year. Some, like the game being based on Norse mythology, were ostensibly true but also considerably overstated. Others wound up holding significantly less water.
Elden Ring Will Not Eliminate The Stamina Mechanic As Rumored
FromSoftware's previous action RPG, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, shook up the Soulslike formula of previous FromSoftware action RPGs by eliminating the Stamina mechanic. Instead of a green bar drained by swinging weapons and blocking weapon attacks, Sekiro players instead would try to preserve their posture and break the enemy's Posture through carefully timed deflections and sword parries. This gameplay change lead to speculation that Elden Ring would also replace the stamina of Demon's Souls, Dark Souls, and Bloodborne with a mechanic akin to Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. In an interview with IGN, however, Miyazaki himself confirmed Elden Ring will have a Stamina bar mechanic, albeit one not quite as restrictive as those in previous FromSoftware titles.
George R.R. Martin Has Worked On Elden Ring With Miyazaki
George R.R. Martin's collaboration with Miyazaki on the development of Elden Ring excited fans of both Dark Souls and A Song Of Ice And Fire, but also raised several questions: was George R.R. Martin's world-building his sole contribution to Elden Ring, or did he also weigh in on character creation, the in-game magic system, and other gameplay variables? For that matter, is George R.R. Martin still corresponding with FromSoftware on the development of Elden Ring, or has he moved on to other projects?
A recent interview with George R.R. Martin about Elden Ring answered some of the above questions. Years ago, after corresponding with Miyazaki about the premise of his studio's under-development RPG, George R.R. Martin wrote up a "setting bible" with interesting fantasy characters and worldbuilding details that FromSoftware could build a game around. Martin completed his work on Elden Ring years ago, although FromSoftware still sends him periodic updates and samples of concept art; he's apparently very excited to see what the final product looks like in February of next year.
Elden Ring (Probably) Won't Have Multiple Steeds
A while back, an anonymous "whistleblower" shared several intriguing details about Elden Ring – most notably, that it would have open-world exploration mechanics where players could ride a steed through untamed lands similar to those in The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. This caused some to speculate the final release of Elden Ring would let players acquire multiple steeds over the course of a play-through, ranging from normal horses to more exotic creatures like miniature dragons or battle cats straight out of He-Man.
The gameplay trailer for Elden Ring confirmed the existence of steed-riding mechanics and open-world exploration, showcasing a shaggy horse with bison horns that players can magically summon, ride into combat, and dismiss at will. This mystical horse, however, is presented in the trailer as a main character and constant ally to the player, heavily implying that it'll be the only horse players can access in Elden Ring (unless, perhaps, player can use the game's Summon mechanics to call forth different steeds).
Elden Ring Doesn't Look Like A Sci-Fi Game Disguised As Fantasy
Another theory on Elden Ring's setting, from before the release of the gameplay trailer, suggested a shocking potential twist to the storyline of FromSoftware's newest dark fantasy RPG. It was suggested that Elden Ring players would venture through what looked like a post-apocalyptic fantasy setting, but that at the mid-point of the game, they would realize the world they were exploring used to be a highly advanced civilization out of a science fiction story. The magic spells and prosthetic arms found in the Lands Between would turn out to be technological relics, the spirits encountered in the world would be revealed as AI-projected holograms, and the myth of the "Elden Ring" a garbed recollection of a massive circular space station that broke apart in orbit.
It was a bold theory, if nothing else, but the new trailer, new screenshots, and new press releases for Elden Ring seem to have thoroughly debunked the wild guess. The magical spells shown in gameplay footage bear a strong resemblance to the spellcasting paradigms of previous FromSoftware games like Dark Souls. The creatures, monsters, and undead mobs players fight lack any sort of technological veneer. Finally, the equestrian gameplay shown in Elden Ring previews bears a close resemblance to Breath of the Wild and Shadow of the Colossus – less so to science-fantasy games like Destiny or Horizon Zero Dawn.
Sources: IGN