Hidetaka Miyazaki's upcoming game, Elden Ring, is currently one of the most anticipated titles in the video game industry. One of the many reasons why fans are waiting for the release of Elden Ring is George R. R. Martin's participation in the game. Miyazaki contacted Martin to help develop some parts of the story and lore of the game which is why fans are expecting Elden Ring to have a well-crafted and immersive story.
Most people think about Game of Thrones or A Song of Ice and Fire when thinking about George R. R. Martin. The work of George R. R. Martin has become incredibly famous thanks to the TV adaptation of his book which premiered in 2011 and concluded in 2019. Game of Thrones became a cultural phenomenon thanks to Martin's amazing narrative which easily captivated many fans, even those who were not familiar with A Song of Ice and Fire.
Previous Work
While the TV series received negative feedback for its last season, it is generally agreed that Game of Thrones had an incredibly well-developed story. Furthermore, Game of Thrones was only partially based on the books since George R. R. Martin's work was still unfinished and the TV series eventually caught up with the released novels. Even though George R. R. Martin collaborated in the development by reading the scripts and giving notes when needed, the show was not written by George R. R. Martin (though he did pen some episodes), nor it was based strictly on his work.
Still, George R. R. Martin's literary creation captivated many fans thanks to many factors. Some of the main points fans enjoy about Martin's work are his compelling world-building, the complexity of all of his characters, and the way the complex narrative of his work comes together in the end. These characteristic features of Martin's work will probably be brought to the upcoming Elden Ring which, in consequence, will affect the game's lore.
World Creation
Instead of settling for a small city, George R. R. Martin created an entire world in his work. Throughout his novels, fans get to explore Westeros and its many regions, together with the Houses that control them. Each of the Houses has its own unique features that differentiate it from the rest. Houses are also heavily influenced by the region in which they are located and vice versa, which also makes the world feel much more integrated. Additionally, each region has its own advantages and weaknesses which come into play in the fight for power.
Martin's ability to create an interconnected world will probably translate into Elden Ring. Even though fans have not had many details about where the game takes place, there is a probability the game will also have many different regions that relate differently with one another. This could either result in a huge world map with different interesting locations with their own geographical characteristics and other complex details, or in a smaller yet well-connected world for Elden Ring.
In any case, it is likely Elden Ring will have a world design that will easily make players engage with the game. By integrating the different settings, fans will probably feel immersed in the world presented in the game. Consequently, this will probably affect the player's decisions in this dark fantasy RPG game.
Complex Characters
The Game of Thrones saga had many different characters, many of which played a crucial role in the story. Instead of having one or two main characters, George R. R. Martin created many of them. All of the characters in Martin's work were also complex and had a clear motivation which was deeply affected by their backstory and current situation. Thanks to this, fans got to empathize or at least understand why the characters in Game of Thrones acted the way they did.
Even if George R. R. Martin did not create the characters in Elden Ring, his narrative style will probably affect the way they are connected. Most likely, Elden Ring will also include complex characters with their own motivations that ultimately lead the narrative. Even though this will be affected by the decision each player takes in the RPG aspect of the game, the characters will probably have a clear personality which will set the tone for the game.
Ideally, the player should be able to feel as though the decisions made throughout the game have an actual impact and are influenced by many factors. The lore of the Elden Ring is bound to be affected by its complex characters and their dynamic relationships. In turn, the player will probably feel like the characters are true to life in the sense that they have different layers and a set of beliefs of their own.
Intricate Narrative
While creating a huge world and a set of characters are the basic ingredients for a compelling story, it is the narrative itself that will make or break the story. In the Game of Thrones saga, George R. R. Martin set the events of Westeros and developed them in a way that felt natural. As convoluted as the story is, each situation seemed like the most logical consequence of the previous event in the story. On the other hand, Martin managed to provide many plot twists to keep the story fresh and to maintain the element of surprise so fans could not predict the story and become easily bored.
Tone and pace definitely play an important role in a game's narrative as well, and there are good reasons to believe that George R. R. Martin will make Elden Ring's narrative feel compelling. Since Elden Ring will also have a mythos of its own, the game will probably show how it affects the characters which, in turn, will affect the way the story develops.
George R. R. Martin managed to include several fantasy elements in the Game of Thrones saga that deeply affected the main plot. In the same way, the Elden Ring will probably have fantasy elements embedded in the story in such a way that they do not feel accidental. Thus, fans will probably see the narrative unfold together in a natural way in which the mythos of Elden Ring intertwines with the rest of the elements.
Elden Ring is currently in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.