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Elden Ring is an action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment (except in Japan where FromSoftware also handles publishing). It was directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding provided by fantasy writer George R. R. Martin. It was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on February 25, 2022. Players control a customizable player character who is on a quest to repair the Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord.
Elden Ring is presented through a third-person perspective; players freely roam its interactive open world. The six main areas are traversed using the player character's steed Torrent as the primary mode of travel. Linear, hidden dungeons can be explored to find useful items. Players can use several types of weapons and magic spells, including non-direct engagement enabled by stealth mechanics. Throughout the game's world, checkpoints enable fast travel and allow players to improve their attributes using an in-game currency called runes. Elden Ring features an online multiplayer mode in which players can join for cooperative play and player-versus-player combat.
During planning, FromSoftware wanted to create an open world game with gameplay similar to Dark Souls; the company wanted Elden Ring to act as an evolution of the series debut. Miyazaki admired Martin's previous work, and hoped that his contributions would produce a more accessible narrative than those of the company's earlier games. Martin was given unrestricted freedom to design the backstory while Miyazaki was lead writer for the in-game narrative. The developers concentrated on environmental scale, role-playing, and the story; the scale required the construction of several structures inside the open world.
Elden Ring received critical acclaim for its open world, gameplay systems, and setting, with some criticism for its technical performance. It is among the most awarded games in history with 324 Game of the Year awards and sold over 20 million copies in a year. An expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, was announced in February 2023.