After entering a duel in Elden Ring's Colosseum, one player opted to perform a dance routine using curved swords instead of engaging in battle. The Colosseum is a special location added to Elden Ring as part of free DLC and allows players to fight in arena matches. Colosseum matches are fast-paced and require extreme concentration and strategy to win.
Most Elden Ring players take duels very seriously, even though there are no rewards for winning or consequences for losing. Winning a duel takes patience and knowledge of the game's many different builds, spells, and weapons. There are even optimized builds in Elden Ring for those looking to get a leg up on the competition. Duels and invasions have been a staple in FromSoftware games since Demon Souls, and Elden Ring continues that trend. There is unwritten etiquette with dueling, such as bowing or emoting to your opponent before engaging in combat, or forgoing flasks, however, some of these arbitrary rules do not always apply. While many players take dueling seriously, some partake just to show off their own build or engage with the community in a fun way.
One Elden Ring player, known as AstralKnightMage, posted a video to Reddit showing them dancing around the Colosseum shortly after engaging in a duel. In the video, the player bows to their opponent while wielding a flowing curved sword in both hands. The flowing curved sword is one of the few weapons in Elden Ring to have an exclusive moveset that separates it from other weapons of the same class. The Reddit user then activates the weapon's unique charged heavy attack, setting off a series of strikes that resemble a dance. The player aims this attack away from their adversary immediately giving the moveset the appearance of a dance rather than an attack. The opponent recognized the dancer's intent and strafed to the side to find a suitable place to watch the dance. After the attack chain finished, AstralKnightMage finished the performance with an emote and the spectator clapped with amusement. Click here to see the video on Reddit.
The video, which has gained popularity on the Elden Ring subreddit, has amassed over 1000 upvotes in less than five hours. The post's popularity has sparked comments and compliments on the player's dance skills, as well as praise for the expert non-verbal communication skills players have developed through the use of emotes and messages - a feature many Elden Ring fans cherish.
This dance routine is just one example of the many ways Elden Ring's community engages with each other beyond typical gameplay mechanics. From dancing to creating original builds to engaging in friendly banter, the community has found ways to make the game even more enjoyable. While dueling may be a serious affair for some, it's imperative to remember that at the end of the day, Elden Ring is a game meant to be fun and enjoyed in whatever way players see fit.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.