FromSoftware News, Tips, Tricks & Ideas

Elden Ring’s story is often attributed to two people: FromSoftware president and creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki, and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin. This is only partially true. While Miyazaki is credited as the creative mind behind its dense lore and high-fantasy setting, a game as big as Elden Ring had a huge team working on it, and a lot of its story was crafted through gameplay and environmental world-building rather than through a more traditional narrative. Plus, there’s the whole Martin thing.

You’ve heard of the Lands Between, but have you ever considered the Sands Between? That’s not a joke, that’s a genuine area in Another Crab’s Treasure, and I don’t think anything sums up the exact vibe that this game is going for better than the name of that one area. This is a love letter to and a sendup of so much of what FromSoftware has done, all wrapped up in a very cute crab protagonist just trying to get their home back, and a deeply unsettling message about pollution that we all already know, but don’t often get to play through.

Dark Souls is often regarded as one of FromSoftware's best games, but even diehard fans have to admit that the back half is lacking. Between the lava pools filled with copy-and-pasted dragon butts in Lost Izalith and the pitch-black caverns in The Tomb of the Giants, it's clear that the endgame was rushed.

Dark Souls, one of the most widely acclaimed video games of the last two decades - perhaps all time - and progenitor of one of modern video gaming’s most influential and oft-copied-rarely-bettered genres, the Soulslike, would’ve been a better game had it launched into early access. That’s the suggestion from the head of Ori and the Blind Forest developers Moon Studios in the wake of launching their own early access Soulslike, No Rest For The Wicked.

Like any FromSoftware game, Elden Ring is full of bosses so tough that every time you reach them in a new playthrough, part of you wants to put the controller down and save yourself the headache. We're all human, or as human as Tarnished can get. And that's what the subreddit has been discussing, sharing all the big bads that they go out of their way to skip every time they play the game.

Over two years since its release, Elden Ring players are still completing the game in a variety of weird and wonderful ways.

Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree will release in June 2024, but even if you buy it day one, you might not be able to access the Elden Ring DLC expansion’s new overworld areas and dungeons right away. This is an add-on aimed squarely at those in the later stages of the game, as FromSoftware’s own Elden Lord Hidetaki Miyazaki has revealed in a new Famitsu interview – to gain access, you must first defeat two of the main game’s nastier bosses. Yes, I know that all Elden Ring bosses are nasty, but these two are among the worst, in my experience.

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will send players on a new journey this summer to the Land of Shadow, where they will learn more about one of the game’s most mysterious demigods, Miquella of the Haligtree.

The Collector's Edition of Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree comes with 18 inches of impalement.

People have been thirsting over FromSoftware characters for years, but we rarely see the developer or publisher get in on the action. Today is a very different day.

Elden Ring expansion Shadow of the Erdtree is just months away but dataminers are still discovering secrets within the base game, this time in unused alternate underground maps likely related to a scrapped "cataclysm" system.

When it comes to the game studios known for their level design, you don't get much better than FromSoftware. Over the course of the past two decades, the studio has been responsible for creating some of the most intricate and complex levels in the gaming history, and FromSoftware fans recently went back through the developer's soulslike catalog to name their favorite level from each.

When it launched in 2022, Elden Ring was an immediate hit. The challenging game took everything great from previous FromSoftware titles and merged it with a sweeping open world to explore — letting players venture in any direction just a few minutes after starting the game. That also made it incredibly daunting. Not only did you have to contend with nightmarish monsters and rage-inducing combat, but you had to figure out how to best reach your next destination without stumbling upon enemies that were twice your skill level.

Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is just around the corner, which means time’s running out to get ready for its arrival.

One Elden Ring player has been practicing hitless runs using nothing but an electric saxophone for a controller, and it seems he's now achieved ultimate victory by achieving a perfect victory against all seven Great Rune bosses using the power of the doot.

Do you remember the fan made spin-off Bloodborne Kart? Of course you do, it looked utterly brilliant!

A new mod allows up to six players to play and battle side by side in Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon. Co-op is now available in Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon thanks to a dedicated modder, who has also worked on other FromSoftware titles like Elden Ring. The new mod focuses on teamwork and co-op gameplay, but also introduces some seriously troubling challenges evocative of past FromSoftware games.

You can buy a big selection of FromSoftware games at a discount price when you use the code CHICK15 at eBay right now. This includes the Dark Souls Trilogy (PS4) for £24.61, Elden Ring (PS4) for £28.01, and Sekiro Shadows Die Twice (PS4) also for £28.01. This deal is a great chance to play some of the most iconic FromSoftware games before the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is released.

Final Fantasy XIV’s director Naoko Yoshida announced the release of the game’s next major release in the funniest way possible.

Final Fantasy 14's Dawntrail will release in full on 2nd July, 2024 – the early access will drop one week prior on 28th June – so both you and the Dawntrail development team has «one week» to get through Elden Ring's eagerly anticipated DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree.

Over the years, FromSoftware has managed to establish itself as one of the best developers in the world, mostly down to the breakout success of the Dark Souls series and a scarily consistent output of exceptional titles after that. Its games are renowned as some of the best in the business, and you could argue that the gaming landscape would be completely different if the developer wasn't in the picture.

If you can't get enough games inspired by FromSoftware's influential Souls series, you're in luck, as another one is heading our way later this year. Enotria: The Last Song was initially planned to release this spring, but has now been pushed back to 21st August. It looks fairly promising in this new gameplay trailer.

Demon’s Souls is a prickly issue for From Software fans. While the title is a From Software creation the whole way through, as an intellectual property, it is actually owned by Sony, so From, and From’s creative lead Hidetaka Miyazaki himself, has no control on remaking or rereleasing the game.

PlayStation Studios has churned out some fairly immaculate AAA bangers over the years, and now the firm is applying the screws to fans, asking them to pick their favourites. In a tournament-style Twitter poll designed to crown «which PlayStation game reigns supreme», Sony has infuriated long-suffering FromSoftware fans by not including the cult classic Bloodborne amongst the contenders, the latest in a long line of indignities the fanbase has endured.

Like everything else developed by FromSoftware, Elden Ring is painfully difficult. It’ll take you hundreds of hours to discover everything it has to offer, and unless you’re a grizzled veteran, you’ll likely hit the “Game Over” screen thousands of times before your journey in the Lands Between comes to an end.

The world of Elden Ring is filled with mysteries. The game doesn't hold your hand for long before letting you venture out in any direction you like – which is both a blessing and a curse. Stumbling upon new weapons, enemies, or another gorgeous viewpoint is what makes Elden Ring so entertaining, and if the game simply pointed you towards all these locations, it wouldn't be nearly as exciting.

Staying alive in Elden Ring is easier said than done. The game throws a gauntlet of nightmarish enemies your way, and one wrong move can deplete your entire health bar. That makes it imperative for you to master all your abilities and equip the best gear possible – but you should also consider using spirits.

A new fan mod for Dark Souls 3 has been released offering a complete overhaul of the game that promises «a retelling of the Dark Souls universe».

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree is taking us to the namesake Land of Shadow by being pulled into Miquella's cocoon. He's Malenia's brother, so we'll no doubt find out more about their relationship and their respective histories. But fans want FromSoftware to take their story further and for us to get new interactions with Malenia herself.

Sony wants to know what your favourite ever PlayStation game is, as long as it isn't Bloodborne.

An Elden Ring fan is putting 50 of the game's most common enemies, the Giant Rat, to the test by making them fight some of the game's hardest bosses.

The prequel mod Dark Souls Archthrones can finally be tested by fans thanks to a newly released demo. The makers of the mod originally targeted September 2023 for the demo launch, but delays are part of game development and even more so when we're talking about non-professional projects like a mod. Now, however, the demo is here, and it should be a great way for Soulslike fans to tide over

A replica of Elden Ring's Dark Moon Greatsword can now be bought, if you've got a spare £360.

Although I enjoy a wide variety of games from different genres, there are still parts of the video game zeitgeist I have little knowledge of. One of those blind spots is Korean MMOs like Nexon’s Vindictus, which attracts lots of players in Asia, but has made less of an impact in the U.S. Thankfully, my lack of familiarity with that space didn’t make the playtest for Vindictus: Defying Fate any less enjoyable.

Elden Ring developer FromSoftware recently announced details on the game’s highly anticipated expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree. This meaty new addition to the role-playing game’s already massive open world will arrive this June, letting players visit an unexplored region known as the Land of Shadow. Like FromSoftware’s past expansions, expect challenging new bosses to battle and powerful new weapons and abilities to wield.

After almost four years in development, Dark Souls 3 mod Archthrones is set to release a demo on March 15th. If you were unaware of said mod, it's a Patron-funded expansion that puts Dark Souls 3 on an alternate storyline in a way akin to Demon Souls, with a hub area home to five gateways that'll transport you to five worlds. If there was ever a reason to return to Dark Souls 3, this is probably it.

If you've been craving more Dark Souls content in your life, then prepare yourself. A colossal Dark Souls 3 mod called Dark Souls: Archthrones is on the way, and you'd be forgiven for thinking that it was an entirely new FromSoftware RPG.

Elden Ring originally had a different starting point that had players washing up on a beach in Limgrave.

Elden Ring expansion Shadow of the Erdtree may be fast approaching, but that hasn't stopped one dataminer discovering a secret about the very beginning of the base game. YouTuber Sekiro Dubi published a video showcasing their discovery of an entirely different opening to Elden Ring, which was present in an old version of the game and came with a new cutscene featuring Melina and Torrent.

It's been over two years since Elden Ring was released, but some players are still surprised to find cheaters dropping up to 86 million Runes in PvP mode. 

Elden Ring players may have discovered a hidden element that is related to the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

Elden Ring fans believe they've found a link to expansion Shadow of the Erdtree that was hiding in plain sight all along.

Elden Ring DLC speculation is heating up once again now that a player has discovered an item that seemingly ties into the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

Palworld has received the 'demake' treatment, throwing it back to the pixelated days of the Nintendo DS.

Elden Ring has seen a significant rise in players after developer FromSoftware released a trailer for its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

Elden Ring has a set of chest armour called the Depraved Perfumer Robe which is embroidered with a writhing red snake that wraps around itself. It was long assumed that this was a reference to Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy, the god-devouring serpent found at Volcano Manor. However, in light of Shadow of the Erdtree's first trailer, fans think the armour might have been teasing Messmer this entire time.

Fashion Souls has always been a big part of FromSoftware games. While some people maximise their builds to make them the strongest and most well-defended in whatever hellhole they've stumbled across, plenty just stick on whatever looks good, or spend their time cosplaying. It was only a matter of time before Fashion Souls critics appeared.

Elden Ring, like all of FromSoftware's famously challenging action RPGs, has been trivialized in about a million different ways. Two Malenias at once, no-hit randomizer runs, literal mind games – the list goes on. Arguably the most popular way to absolutely flex on the denizens of the Lands Between is clearing the whole game without leveling up a single time, with Elden Ring now a major part of the OneBros Reddit community where unleveled FromSoft diehards gather. 

Elden Ring has been out for a little while now, and plenty of extra material has been released alongside it since then, some of it extremely bizarre. For example, an Elden Ring manga was released shortly after the launch of the game, and despite all the game's depressing themes and stories, the manga itself was actually more a comedy. Truly bizarre stuff, but not that out of character.

The new Elden Ring DLC will boast a leveling system similar to that of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, so you won't be able to grind your way through Shadow of the Erdtree.

FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki would love to make more games that are as big as Elden Ring, which is sure to be music to the ears of many fans.  

A brand new Elden Ring manga webcomic will be released at the end of March.

Elden Ring’s upcoming expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is out this Summer and adds a new world, the Land of Shadow, complete with new enemies, over ten bosses and much more. It doesn’t affect the outcome of the base game (and vice versa), but you need to play a fairly significant amount to even access the expansion.

While players have scoured and stained every inch of the Lands Between in the two years since Elden Ring launched, they might not have uncovered every secret just yet. With a June release now confirmed for Shadow Of The Erdtree, the long-awaited expansion, director Hidetaka Miyazaki has now hinted that we Tarnished may have missed something. One small secret may yet remain, assuming he's not pulling another prank, or maybe not. Honestly, Miyazaki should say it has hundreds of undiscovered things. Keep everyone guessing. Communal Internet knowledge has ruined the mystique of video games.

Just nine days ago, Italian independent developer Jyamma Games revealed that its debut project, Enotria: The Last Song, would launch on June 21.

Elden Ring players are flummoxed over FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki's tease that one final secret still exists within the two-year-old game.

The parent company of Elden Ring developer FromSoftware is releasing a novel based on the beloved fantasy role-playing game, but its subject isn't necessarily what you'd expect.

Last week, after two years of leaks, rumours, and speculation, FromSoftware finally unveiled when Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree will release. With the dam finally burst, players flooded back to the Lands Between.

Think you know everything there is to know about Elden Ring? Think again, Tarnished – according to director Hidetaka Miyazaki, there's still «a small element» yet to be discovered.

FromSoftware's frequent director Hidetaka Miyazaki has acknowledged his 'making poisonous swamps' addiction, and although the upcoming Elden Ring DLC was a moment of "introspection" for the developer, he's not stopping any time soon. 

Elden Ring's director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, has confirmed in an interview that George R.R. Martin didn't write anything new for Shadow of the Erdtree, but that the world and story were inspired and based around what he penned for the main game.

Amidst widespread layoffs, rising development costs, increasingly protracted development cycles, and more, the games industry is looking more destabilized than it has in a long time, but some studios seem to be immune to that. One prominent example is Dark Souls and Elden Ring developer FromSoftware, a studio that has not only not had to resort to laying off staff, but is actually growing increasingly larger, and continues to put out universally acclaimed, commercially successful titles at a rate that has, frankly, been startling.

Hidetaka Miyazaki is inextricably linked to FromSoftware in a way that we very rarely see with directors and studios. Having directed the likes of Demon’s Souls, Dark Souls, Bloodborne, Dark Souls 3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Elden Ring, Miyazaki is responsible from some of the studio’s biggest hits over the last decade and a half, and has led the teams for the overwhelming majority of its flagship releases.

Elden Ring director, Hidetaka Miyazaki, has defended FromSoftware's most divisive game, Dark Souls 2, and said that its ideas "carried the rest of the series".

Elden Ring, Sekiro, and the Dark Souls trilogy can be darkly comedic at times when grueling boss battles are cut short by unbelievably bad luck or when enemies ragdoll after giving you a fine beating. But the games' creative director doesn't aim to make these games "funny," which kinda makes them funnier.

Elden Ring's Shadow of The Erdtree DLC finally has a release date, as we'll all be heading back to The Lands Between later this year. On top of the release date, FromSoftware released an exciting new gameplay trailer showcasing the new land we'll be exploring, which will no doubt be filled with horrible creatures, challenging encounters, and a handful of Malenia-tier boss fights that will make us want to throw our controllers out of the window.

While the wait for news on Elden Ring or the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC might've been excruciating for FromSoftware's most dedicated fans, the studio has actually managed to pump out AAA games at a remarkable pace given how beloved every release tends to be. Creative director Hidetaka Miyazaki says the key to success is a well-managed studio filled with developers who are great at what they do and put in the best position for success.

The Bloodborne community is the equivalent of a dog losing its absolute mind whenever it catches wind of a remaster or PC port of its beloved title. “Bloodborne!? Bloodborne! BLOODBOOOOOOOOOORNE!” Such was the case when the FromSoftware darling was brought up with director Hidetaka Miyazaki during the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC reveal.

Dark Souls creator and the president of developer FromSoftware, Hidetaka Miyazaki, has been speaking aboutDark Souls 2’s impact on the series, and says that he’s not sure “how or if” the series would have progressed in the manner it did without the divisive second installment.

Elden Ring's director says both himself and FromSoftware at large don't feel pressured by other games in the 'Souls-like' genre.

The folks over at FromSoftware have made new headlines this week, all thanks to a recent trailer drop. Elden Ring fans were treated to a new gameplay trailer for the upcoming Shadows of the Erdtree. This would be DLC for their behemoth of a hit, Elden Ring. But for some fans, there might be some hope that Armored Core might not become a dormant franchise again. Fortunately, this franchise doesn’t look like it will be shelved for the long haul.

After what has seemed like forever since its initial announcement a year ago, on Wednesday we finally got a full trailer for Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree.

From Software president Hidetaka Miyazaki has acknowledged that members of the Dark Souls studio had misgivings about Elden Ring's shift to a full-blown open world format, while qualifying that Elden Ring's vision for an open world was never "traditional". Rather, Elden Ring is an "open world" game in the same way that Dark Souls is a "hard" game, Miyazaki feels. Confused? Well, this is the godfather of the notoriously unforthcoming Souls series we're talking about. I've never interviewed the guy, but I suspect he composes his responses using the game's soapstone messaging system.

Elden Ring's director believes Dark Souls 2 ultimately helped the overall series, partly because it had different directors.

Elden Ring director and FromSoftware studio head Hidetaka Miyazaki has commented on the "Souls series" and "SoulsBorne" monikers for the developer's games.

Elden Ring, the acclaimed fantasy RPG from FromSoftware, has sold over 23 million copies since its release in 2022, Bandai Namco has confirmed. The publisher revealed the sales figure in wake of the gameplay trailer and release date reveal of the game's first major expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, on Wednesday. Exactly a year ago, Bandai Namco had announced that Elden Ring had sold 20 million copies worldwide.

FromSoftware is changing its approach to level design with Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.

The Souls games, or whatever umbrella you want to put all of FromSoftware's action RPGs under, collectively redefined an entire genre and literally defined a new one in the form of Soulslikes. So it is immensely amusing to hear creative director and studio boss Hidetaka Miyazaki describe this success, in an interview with Eurogamer, as: "Players seem to enjoy our games."

If Elden Ring and Dark Souls director Hidetaka Miyzaki had to put a name to the genre of games FromSoftware has become synonymous with over the past decade-plus years, it’d be “Souls-ish.” But even then, he would much prefer to call them “those dark fantasy third-person action games with a higher focus on melee combat and sense of accomplishment.” That’s not quite as catchy as ‘Soulslike’, but it does capture the renowned creator’s specificity. And we got even more of that specificity in our recent interview with Miyazaki ahead of the premiere of the long-awaited trailer for the first Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree.

Hidetaka Miyazaki definitively ended any questions about new Elden Ring DLC.