Elden Ring was initially announced at E3 in 2019, and since then, new details have been sparse. The new IP from developer From Software drew fan attention immediately for its ambiguous trailer and the involvement of George R. R. Martin, famously the author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. From Software games have an avid fanbase that has rabidly searched for any new details about Elden Ring, and in light of some new information, it's starting to look like Elden Ring will more resemble Dark Souls than other From Software IPs like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Bloodborne. Indeed, that's a good thing.
The influence of Dark Souls on the upcoming Elden Ring is immediate in the reveal trailer largely in the apparent setting. A return to a more medieval fantasy setting comes after the departures to Victorian-Era/Van Helsing style in Bloodborne and the Japanese mythology and samurai aesthetic in Sekiro. Fans of Dark Souls were glad to see scenes like the unknown smith hammering against his forge and the gargantuan dragon flying that were featured in the trailer, but even now, there's still a big question mark to what most of this means.
Recent leaks have supposedly shown off even more artwork for Elden Ring, and rumors hint that the game might be more than just stylistically similar to Dark Souls. These rumors have suggested that it plays more like Dark Souls than other games from the developer, and the success of the recent Demon's Souls remake on the PS5 point towards that being a good thing for both fans and for the commercial success when Elden Ring does finally release.
Dark Souls is praised both by fans and critics for its gameplay mechanics that highlight simplicity of control and depth of customization set against the series trademark brand of blistering difficulty. Naturally, those elements making their way into the new setting will be a big draw for returning fans and newer players experimenting with the souls-like genre. Battling against the horrific monsters has always been a brutal experience, and fans will likely have some apprehensions put to rest knowing of the similarities in gameplay.
Thematic similarities in the story also seem to pull influence from Dark Souls over other From Software games, and the involvement of Martin alongside From Software is something that fans are eager to learn more about as well. The brooding, ambiguous themes of the Dark Souls games are in step with the dark and violent worlds that Martin has created in his writing. The worlds of dragons and dark magic that both of these creators have assembled should create something simultaneously uniquely its own and proudly a child of its predecessors. Elden Ring is rumored to be a larger game than Dark Souls, so eager fans may have a lot to dive into whenever it is eventually released.
Elden Ring is in development for PC, PS4, and Xbox One.