Post
FromSoftware's 2022 open-world masterpiece that took Souls combat global and won Game of the Year.
Elden Ring blended Souls-style combat with a massive open world designed by Hidetaka Miyazaki in collaboration with George R. R. Martin. The game shipped with unprecedented scope — six major zones, hundreds of bosses, dozens of viable builds — and let players approach nearly every challenge in any order. It became FromSoftware's first commercial megahit, selling over 25 million copies and mainstreaming the Soulslike genre.
Example
Malenia, Blade of Miquella became one of the most famous bosses in gaming history. The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in 2024 added a massive new region and more challenging content. Let Me Solo Her, a community cosplayer helping players beat Malenia, became a viral gaming folk hero.
Why it matters
Elden Ring expanded Souls to an audience that had bounced off Dark Souls for a decade. It validated open-world design that trusts the player, and redefined what a 'hard' AAA game could sell at scale.
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