We’ve been steadily getting more information on Elden Ring ever since the new gameplay video was revealed last month. The presentation and cinematic trailer were accompanied by an in-depth Closed Network Test that allowed select players access to the game for a limited amount of time. The game has a lot in common with the Dark Souls franchise, but there is one mechanic that will not be making an appearance: equippable rings.
Elden Ring is one of the most anticipated games of 2022. This isn’t just an opinion; the upcoming FromSoftware title took home the Most Anticipated Game award for the second year in a row at The Game Awards 2021. Given that, fans are constantly hunting for new information about the game, which isn’t always a good thing. Some significant spoilers were leaked earlier this month regarding the game’s narrative events. But some minor details have been shared officially from FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki, who discusses how the lore has been shaped and the reasoning behind some design alterations.
In an interview with EDGE, Miyazaki shared more information about the game and addressed how rings are no longer items players will be able to equip. This may seem a bit strange, considering ‘ring’ is in the very title, but Miyazaki elaborates on this saying,
rings do no exist as physical ‘finger rings’ in the game, but more as unique items that are involved in the story and unique character events.
Hidetaka Miyazaki
In place of rings, players will now have talisman items that will provide the same passive status condition buffs that rings offer. If we go by the trend in the Dark Souls franchise, these buffs will affect the player’s stamina, health, or damage. The reason behind this change could be to make sure that the concept of rings doesn’t become a commonplace item in the player’s mind.
It would seem that rings are wholly unique in the game world, and the word “ring” is used to loosely define an item to give it some degree of identity. FromSoftware is no stranger to changing things around in their franchises, such as how the currency in Elden Ring is now runes, while in Dark Souls it was souls and blood echoes in Bloodborne.
Miyazaki went on to drop another interesting piece of information: he will not be playing the game at launch. He said this is something of a policy for him, stating that,
You know, I probably won’t end up playing Elden Ring because it’s a game I’ve made myself…You wouldn’t get any of the unknowns that the fresh player is going to experience. Like I said before, it wouldn’t feel like playing. But if I did, then this would be close to the ideal game I’d want.
Hidetaka Miyazaki
This makes sense, as the game’s mystique is a major appeal for many FromSoftware games. As Miyazaki would already know all the answers, mechanics, and surprises, it wouldn’t be the most fun playthrough.
But, for the rest of us, it’s going to be a wild ride when the game launches on February 25th, 2022. So clear your schedule and get ready to explore The Lands Between during that weekend.
About Elden Ring
Elden Ring is a major title released by FromSoftware in 2022, the developers of Demon’s Souls, Bloodborne, and the Dark Souls franchise. Set in the ‘Lands Between’, players are on a quest to repair the Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord.
Shadow of the Erdtree is a full-fledged expansion for Elden Ring added in June 2024. It is a whole new map with new Weapons, Sorceries, Ashes, and Craftables. It is a challenging DLC and as players continue to explore the map, they find surprises and easter eggs left by the developers every day.
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