The backstory of FromSoftware's Elden Ring was written by George R.R. Martin, and the novelist was apparently involved extremely early in the title's development. Martin is well-known as the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series, which inspired the massively popular HBO fantasy drama Game of Thrones. FromSoftware's Elden Ring expands the soulslike role-playing game genre to inhabit the massive open world of The Lands Between.
FromSoftware built upon George R.R. Martin's Elden Ring lore to inspire the game's world and story. The backstory of the open-world epic sees The Lands Between ruled by Queen Marika, a ruling deity with a long line of powerful demigod offspring. The shattering of the titular Elden Ring throws the world into chaos, however, leading Marika's children to claim shards of the artifact and conquer various regions of The Lands Between. The player character in Elden Ring is a Tarnished, an exile who returns in order to reforge the Elden Ring and assume the role of Elden Lord. While the acclaimed writer did not play a role in crafting the actual story of the game, George R.R. Martin celebrated Elden Ring by donning a hilarious cosplay on the day of launch.
An interview with Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki, conducted by Famitsu magazine and translated by Video Games Chronicle, reveals the extent of George R.R. Martin's involvement in crafting the game. Martin influenced the very earliest stages of development, giving FromSoftware history to build upon for the game proper. Much of the game's iconic imagery, including the Erdtree and the titular Elden Ring, was not actually finalized until later in development. Apparently Martin mostly developed vague concepts, which Miyazaki then transformed into actual features of The Lands Between.
George R.R. Martin's work on A Song of Ice and Fire has become massively popular, but the fantasy writer seems particularly proud of his work on Elden Ring. Apparently George R.R. Martin places video games above movies, feeling that they are just as impactful and just as difficult to create. HBO's adaptation of his work with Game of Thrones was largely beloved by fans, and now Elden Ring has taken the gaming industry by storm due to its massive and detailed world.
In creating Elden Ring's lore, George R.R. Martin provided valuable context for FromSoftware to build upon while creating The Lands Between. Martin was apparently involved before concepts like the Erdtree and Elden Ring were even fully formed, demonstrating how early in development the collaboration started. Thanks to George R.R. Martin, The Lands between is a truly well-thought-out fantasy setting.
Elden Ring is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and PC.
Source: Video Games Chronicle