Bandai Namco and FromSoftware blew the detonator quite hard: after nearly two years of silence, they re-revealed Elden Ring, which had George R.R. Martin‘s involvement.

„With Elden Ring, we have applied all our dark fantasy and action RPG expertise cultivated throughout the Dark Souls series, to create a bold, classical evolution of the genre. We’ve crafted a rich world with a staggering sense of scale, based on legends written for the game by George R. R. Martin. Elden Ring is a world full of mystery and peril, ready to be explored and discovered; a drama in which various characters flaunt their mystique and ulterior motives. We sincerely hope you enjoy experiencing it for yourself,” said FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki in a press release.

„I am very happy and excited to announce the release date of Elden Ring, a new game created by Mr Miyazaki and Mr George R.R. Martin, two creators that I truly admire and have a passionate fan base around the world. I am very happy and excited to be able to tell you about it. We will continue to develop Elden Ring not only as a game but also in a variety of other areas to deliver the worldview and charm of this title to our fans around the world. We look forward to your continued support,” Bandai Namco Entertainment president and CEO Yasuo Miyakawa added.

And here is an overview of the game via the publisher: „The Golden Order has been broken. Rise, Tarnished, and be guided by grace to brandish the power of the Elden Ring and become an Elden Lord in the Lands Between. In the Lands Between ruled by Queen Marika the Eternal, the Elden Ring, the source of the Erdtree, has been shattered. Marika’s offspring, demigods all, claimed the shards of the Elden Ring known as the Great Runes, and the mad taint of their newfound strength triggered a war: The Shattering. A war that meant abandonment by the Greater Will. And now the guidance of grace will be brought to the Tarnished who were spurned by the grace of gold and exiled from the Lands Between. Ye dead who yet live, your grace long lost, follow the path to the Lands Between beyond the foggy sea to stand before the Elden Ring. And become the Elden Lord.

[…] Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures. […] Elden Ring features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiralling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title. […] Create your character in FromSoftware’s refined action RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat.”

Elden Ring will launch on January 21 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series, PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. So it is a cross-gen title now. The PlayStation 4 > PlayStation 5 upgrade, as well as Xbox Smart Delivery, are all included. (The Japanese trailer isn’t age restricted, yet the English version is…)

Source: Gematsu