Elden Ring might be one of the most anticipated games in the last few years. Perhaps because of that anticipation, it's also a game that has put its fans through the wringer more than once. To be fair, the developer itself haven't tormented fans as much as fans have done so to themselves. Over the last year, rumors have floated up about Elden Ring's release date. These days, the community tends to look at every little leak and tidbit of information as From Software preparing to give more official information. Unfortunately for all involved, there simply hasn't been much in the way of solid information.
Elden Ring was first introduced at E3 2019, and at the time, it was known that it might be a little while before people got their hands on it. That didn't stop fans of George R.R. Martin from getting fired up to see what he could offer in the video game genre. The game then went on 500+ days with very little follow-up information. The public knew it was a fantasy game, they knew about the collaboration, and they knew nothing else.
The Elden Ring Wait Continues
The fact that Elden Ring is almost certainly going to be more than another Dark Souls is a big draw as well, especially with the arrival of both the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S since the game was first announced. From Software puts out high quality games on current-gen consoles, and though the new game isn't confirmed for these platforms yet, it's highly likely to be so. At one point, rumors that Elden Ring would arrive on launch day for one of the consoles excited the community. Then it didn't come.
The near silence from the developer started to really worry fans as the new consoles were announced. Then it got closer and closer to release day, and there wasn't any press conferences, trailers, or anything else new reveal. Then, all of the sudden, it happened—From Software issued a statement. The company assured people it was still working on Elden Ring in October. Desperate for something concrete, some fans even thought the timing of the news was intentional; after all, From Software is well known as making spooky, atmospheric titles. What's more atmospheric than Halloween, but still nothing came.
Just a few weeks later, the biggest tease of all came from Xbox head Phil Spencer revealing he has played a build of Elden Ring. Spencer teased the community a bit more by saying he'd "played quite a bit" of the upcoming title. With the game being in a state where people not remotely involved in the project were getting to play a build, it seemed like others would get their chance, sooner rather than later. Then, perhaps unsurprisingly, no news followed.
Delay, Delay Delay
One rumor that popped up soon after talk of a playable build began circulating was that Elden Ring's production was delayed by COVID-19. This explanation made sense. Certainly, a number of games got pushed back because the developers couldn't finish up what needed to be done. Other games, like Cyberpunk 2077, probably should have been pushed back until 2021. That explanation even made sense when looking at how silent From Software was about the whole situation. Perhaps it hoped it was going to have more info by November, or perhaps it thought the development would be further along. Then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Of course, that didn't explain why those anxiously awaiting any news at all were still waiting into November.
Just as 2020 was wrapping up, the rollercoaster ride of emotions was sparked again. This time it was a message from one of the lead developers working on the project. Yasuhiro Kitao took to Twitter to thank fans for the support despite the lack of updates. In the process, he told Elden Ring fans he'd "see them in 2021." To a community starved of tangible release dates, a release window, or even a solid idea what the game's about, this almost certainly innocent tweet had people thinking Kitao was signaling something.
Even before Kitao took to Twitter, there was quite a bit of rumbling about Elden Ring finally releasing in 2021. As the new year kicked off, the rumor mill started spinning even faster. There was talk about the game being much further along in development than anyone realized. Some social media hints from organizations thought to be in the know kept talking about how a release was imminent. At the very least, people started expecting yet another dose of actual news.
The Community is Still Waiting
It's mid-February now and the gaming world is no closer to knowing when the game is coming than it was this past fall. At this point, the ups and downs appear to be taking their toll. Elden Ring fans have started sniping at one another, they're arguing about things they can't possibly even know about the game yet, and a rollercoaster of emotion certainly isn't needed for gamers to argue with one another. However, it's pretty clear the snippiness around From Software's latest project is driven by a sense of anticipation and desire among the community.
Some gamers have started wishing it was all over. They don't even want an update, instead hoping From Software will just shadow drop Elden Ring and let it come. Some of that frustration is almost certainly due to the fact that the game, after yet another spate of rumors, wasn't at this year's Taipei Game Show. Nonetheless, the community continues to ride this rollercoaster as it has in the past, reveal after reveal rumored but never coming (something that is not the fault of From Software).
As of now, Elden Ring benefits from a great deal of excitement. However, it remains to be seen when the community may be done with this roller coaster of emotions. Some are in for the long haul without a doubt, but many may just be fading out until something concrete arrives.
Elden Ring is currently in development, with PC, PS4, and Xbox One as confirmed platforms.