A new video promoting the recently released Elden Ring has surfaced online, this time starring Star Wars, Disney, and Marvel actress Ming-Na Wen. This trailer is just one of many efforts publisher BANDAI NAMCO has taken to spread the word about the massively successful Elden Ring, which has already outsold several of its contemporaries.
This most recent outing from renowned Japanese developer FromSoftware is shaping up to be one of the most popular games of the year, and certainly one of the most well-received games from the studio. It would seem that BANDAI NAMCO has been all too aware of the game's winning formula, as the company has been throwing much of its weight behind the game's marketing campaign, with countless trailers, billboards, and other promotional endeavors popping up over the past few months. Much of the marketing centers around the legacy and consistent track record of FromSoftware and its director Hidetaka Miyazaki, while also being sure to touch on the involvement of best-selling author George R.R. Martin. Third-party organizations have also helped to promote the game by creating content based around it, a recent example being the Critical Role Elden Ring one-shot.
As successful as the game has become, BANDAI NAMCO isn't taking its foot off the gas with regards to Elden Ring marketing. A trailer for the game was posted to the BANDAI NAMCO YouTube channel earlier today starring none other than Ming-Na Wen of The Mandalorian and Mulan fame. In the short clip, Ming-Na speaks from the perspective of a dedicated player, though her attitude, delivery, and language give the impression of a committed and powerful warrior. At one point, she states that she will "dance with death a hundred times", clearly referencing the game's signature difficulty. The trailer ends with a screen presenting Elden Ring's numerous perfect review scores, hammering home the game's stellar critical reception.
Even though Elden Ring players can leverage magic, summons, and other features to make the game easier, it will still pose a significant challenge to most players. This trailer seems to be capitalizing on that fact by turning what some players might find frustrating-- the repetition of dying over and over again-- into something admirable and invigorating. Many FromSoftware fans will probably be familiar with this feeling, as games from the studio demand consistently high performance.
As challenging and strange as Elden Ring is, its success has been astonishing. Most high-profile games tend to lean more into accessibility and satisfying gameplay loops, which is all well and good, but it's also nice that there is room for more demanding, esoteric releases. Big-budget trailers featuring high-profile celebrities are just further proof of how many people Elden Ring has, and will continue to, reach.
Source: BANDAI NAMCO/YouTube