It's been nearly three years since Elden Ring's reveal at E3 2019, and now the hotly-anticipated open-world iteration of FromSoftware's beloved Souls formula is finally at the fingertips of eager fans across the globe. But naturally, there are some things you'll want to know — important questions that need answering if you're thinking about plunging in. What do you need to know before buying it? Is it going to satisfy your cravings as a Souls fan? How many Berserk references are there?

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Fret not, because we might have answers to the questions searing an imprint into your brain. Just... probably not that last one. The whole game's probably a Berserk reference, honestly, so that's one down. What else do you want to know?

Elden Ring Release Date - February 25, 2022

January 21, 2022 was the initial reveal for Elden Ring's gameplay trailer capping off E3's Summer Game Fest. However, Bandai Namco ended up delaying to February 25, 2022. Additionally, a closed network test took place between November 12 and November 14, 2021.

What Platforms Is Elden Ring Available On?

Elden Ring is available for purchase on Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 5, and PC so far.

Elden Ring's PC Requirements

Elden Ring's PC specifications are pretty beefy. Here's what's communicated on its Steam page regarding minimum and recommended specs:

Will Elden Ring Be On Game Pass?

There's no indication that Elden Ring will land on Game Pass anytime soon.

Elden Ring Gameplay FAQs

Miyazaki had the following to say to IGN concerning Elden Ring following its reveal at E3 2019:

“Elden Ring is a third-person action RPG with a fantasy setting,” he said. “The gameplay is not so far from Dark Souls. That doesn’t mean that the gameplay will be identical, but you could say that Elden Ring belongs to the same genre.”

While it's a simple and direct explanation, it sets the stage nicely — Elden Ring is a Souls game. Naturally, each iteration of the Souls formula produced by FromSoftware has taken its own twists and turns to keep it smelling fresh, but a true open-world take on it necessitates dozens in and of itself:

“With a larger world, new systems and action mechanics inevitably become necessary,” he said. “In that sense, I think that Elden Ring is a more natural evolution of Dark Souls.”

Is Elden Ring's Combat Like Dark Souls?

In broad strokes, yes. You can expect the same beats you'd expect from a Dark Souls game, but bigger. Classical parrying, dodge-rolling, heavy/light attacks, and the like are well intact, as well as new nuances that raise the stakes and degree of agency players have in approaching combat scenarios. Some bits that set it apart from the Dark Souls trilogy include...

• Horseback combat
• Stealth
• Jumping (including actual jumping attacks)
• Spirit summoning

The Weapon Arts system also makes a return, but rather than being hard-locked to a given weapon, they're equippable skills that can be moved about as needed. In the interest of brevity, yes, it's a lot like Dark Souls. But you'll have a lot to learn.

Is There Multiplayer In Elden Ring?

Yes. Elden Ring's multiplayer echoes the Dark Souls formula in most ways — naturally, there are several items and layered mechanics that impact precisely how this shakes out. But absolutely, you can summon friendly phantoms and be subjected to hostile invasions.

Is There Fast Travel In Elden Ring?

Indeed there is, and you can fast-travel from practically anywhere in the game world. This is quite a departure from the Dark Souls pedigree of endless backtracking and cyclic shortcuts being the complete order of the day, but understandable given the game's scope.

Other Elden Ring FAQs

What Was George R.R. Martin's Involvement?

Confirming an early 2019 rumor that seemed too weirdly delightful to be true, celebrated fantasy author George R.R. Martin was later confirmed to be working with full-time Berserk fan and sometimes games enthusiast Hidetaka Miyazaki. Apparently, it began as simply as Miyazaki being a fan of Martin's work — the rest is history. However, Miyazaki has specified Martin's role as worldbuilding, essentially:

“Storytelling in video games – at least the way we do it at FromSoftware – comes with a lot of restrictions for the writer. I didn’t think it was a good idea to have Martin write within those restrictions. By having him write about a time the player isn’t directly involved in, he is free to unleash his creativity in the way he likes. Furthermore, as FromSoftware we didn’t want to create a more linear and storydriven experience for Elden Ring. Both issues could be solved by having Martin write about the world’s history instead.”

Whether you're talking Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or even Sekiro, part of the enduring legacy and appeal of FromSoftware's definitive RPG catalog is the distinctly cryptic nature of the lore and storytelling. Equal parts environmental and interpretive, players are given suggestions and invited to actively seek the narrative rather than being presented with an expositional trough — it does make a bit more sense to have Martin tasked with coloring the world's mythology over penning the ninety-third bout of snarky NPC chortling. RELATED: TheGamer Staff's Most Anticipated RPGs Coming In 2022

Is Elden Ring A Sequel To Dark Souls?

No. George R. R. Martin described Elden Ring as a sequel to Dark Souls during an interview with WWTW Chicago, whether or not he actually meant "spiritual successor" is a subject of debate.

Given that FromSoftware has generally kept the series identity pretty clear with numbered sequels when it comes to Dark Souls, it's pretty unlikely the worlds are remotely connected to begin with. This is further cemented during an interview conducted by Famitsu, wherein Miyazaki intimated that going with a new IP allowed them to freely experiment with fresh ideas.

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