The high fantasy worlds of FromSoftware’s “Soulsborne” games could soon collide with Game of Thrones in the long-awaited release of FromSoftware’s Elden Ring. Dark Souls’ creator Hidetaka Miyazaki has partnered with author George R.R. Martin to forge a new realm of the action role-playing series known for its twitchy-combat and brutal boss fights, and thankfully fans might not have to wait much longer for this hotly-anticipated release.
Information about Elden Ring has been notoriously scarce since its first teaser trailer aired during E3 2019, but a recent influx of rumors have suggested that FromSoftware is aiming for a 2021 launch date. This information comes only weeks after industry insider Jeff Grubb stated that the developer had a playable build of the game ready to go and that a Elden Ring new trailer is only a couple of months away. Now, Italian journalist Francesco Fossetti claimed that FromSoftware is putting the finishing touches on the title.
Fossetti is an editor for Everyeye, who was interviewed by YouTuber CyberLuk (via Wccftech) on December 23 where he claimed Elden Ring would have already been released if it wasn’t for the workflow interruptions caused by the coronavirus pandemic. He explained that FromSoftware is on the verge of wrapping the upcoming game’s four-year development cycle and that players should expect a title reminiscent of Dark Souls.
Elden Ring Release Date Leaks & Rumors
Both Fossetti and Grubb cited anonymous sources, but they have proven track records of bringing details of unreleased games to light. Plus, both of their statements were subsequently backed up by Chinese content creator Longqi Bangbangtang, who posted a now-deleted video where he allegedly revealed key Elden Ring gameplay details and claimed the game would be released in 2021. He provided a supposed leaked piece of concept art as proof, which was reposted to Reddit on December 29.
According to the Reddit post summarizing Bangbangtang’s video, he told his viewers to expect a new Elden Ring trailer “after the Japanese New Year,” which takes place on February 1. He also broke down that FromSoftware’s release will be inspired by Norse mythology, it will feature dynamic weather, and will include a night-and-day cycle that will change as players explore the world and fight enemies.
All of these statements are sourced anonymously, so fans will need to wait until FromSoftware makes an announcement to know about the true status of Elden Ring, but that doesn’t mean gamers shouldn’t be excited. This cascade of chatter in December stems from reputable sources that have all coalesced around a 2021 release date, which would make sense based on FromSoftware’s previous launches.
The developer’s most recent release of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice was initially teased during E3 2018 and it was then released in March 2019. Elden Ring has already broken that promotional cycle, but that could have been due to the pandemic, as Fossetti mentioned. It seems like 2021 will be the year where new Souls are… borne.
Sources: CyberLuk/YouTube (via Wccftech), Longqi Bangbangtang/Reddit, Leaked Concept Art/Reddit
