Elden Ring is a 2022 action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco Entertainment. It was directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding provided by fantasy writer George R. R. Martin. The game was released for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S on February 25. In the game, players control a customizable player character on a journey to repair the titular Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord. The game is presented through a third-person perspective, with players freely roaming its interactive open world. Gameplay elements include combat using several types of weapons and magic spells, horseback riding, and crafting. FromSoftware wanted to create an open-world game with gameplay similar to Dark Souls, intending Elden Ring to act as an evolution of the first game in the series. Miyazaki admired Martin's work and hoped his contributions would produce a more accessible narrative than FromSoftware's previous games. Elden Ring received critical acclaim for its open-world, gameplay systems, and setting, with criticism going towards its technical performance upon release. The game won several awards, including Game of the Year, and had sold more than 17.5 million copies by October 2022.
