The Highly-Anticipated 'Elden Ring' Is Coming Soon, and It Will Feature Multiplayer

After two years of radio silence since its 2019 announcement, Elden Ring is finally on the horizon. The upcoming action RPG is a highly-anticipated collaboration between FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki (director of the Souls series, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice) and George R.R. Martin of Game of Thrones fame.

Elden Ring takes place in the magical and medieval world of the Lands Between. Years after the titular Elden Ring is destroyed with its powerful shards scattered and claimed by malevolent demigods, players take on the role of one of the Tarnished, those who have been exiled from the realm. Using a vast array of magic and weaponry, players must travel the realm and collect the shards to restore the Elden Ring and bring balance to the Lands Between.

The game is set to release in early 2022 on most major platforms. And of course, a game of this scale has plenty of multiplayer options.

Like many of FromSoftware's critically-acclaimed titles, Elden Ring places an enormous emphasis on brutal combat and exploration. After a linear tutorial, players are free to explore the vast expanse of the Lands Between.

As the Tarnished, you can explore six main areas and all of its dungeons and castles throughout the open world. Using a magical mount, you'll be able to travel across these large areas and encounter several different sidequests on the way to your main objectives.

In combat, players use a variety of weapons, flashy magic attacks, and defensive maneuvers to take on their opponents. Elden Ring also emphasizes stealth to sneak into enemy territory or tiptoe around larger and more dangerous enemies.

Players will even be able to summon spirits to aid them in combat, creating an ephemeral army of minions to fight at your side. As is typical of FromSoftware titles, players will have the freedom to choose how to travel or interact with NPCs and enemies.

Of course, a world as large as the Lands Between can't possibly be traveled alone. Elden Ring will feature several multiplayer elements where online players can visit each other's worlds. As revealed in a recent gameplay overview, players can assist each other in online multiplayer and aid in your ongoing quest. Other players can fight alongside you against tougher enemies, travel within catacombs with you, and even express themselves with in-game gestures to communicate with you.

The official Japanese site lists a total of one to four players, suggesting that you can host a party of up to three fellow Tarnished. Aside from cooperative play, Elden Ring players can also participate in PvP (player versus player) and invasions.

Players will also be able to join Covenants, which are player-generated alliances to specific deities that will reportedly affect your online interactions.

Elden Ring will be released on Feb. 25, 2022. The game will be available on PC, PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.