If you’ve been on the gaming side of the internet lately, you might have seen the name “Elden Ring,” and you might be wondering, “Is Elden Ring an eSport?”
Elden Ring is a game that was released in February 2022 and has grown in popularity, notably due to its Souls-like gameplay of challenging action and adventure in an open fantasy world filled with exploration and lore.
As its popularity has grown, many people are asking, “Will Elden Ring become an eSport?”
This question is often thrown around when a game becomes popular, as eSports and professional gaming tend to elevate competitive games even further, but before we even determine if Elden Ring is eligible to become an eSport, you need to first understand how it is played.
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What Is the Gameplay Style of Elden Ring?
Elden Ring is played in third person, and since it’s an open world action and adventure game, it is mostly focused on individual players exploring the game environment and lore.
The story involves the Elden Ring, which has been shattered into shards. Players try to restore the Elden Ring and become the Elden Lord of the Lands Between.
It sounds simple enough, but those who are familiar with the games developed by the veteran Japanese game studio FromSoftware know that it won’t be an easy road.
Is There a Multi-Player Element of Elden Ring?
Although the game is heavily focused on the player’s solo trip through and around the Lands Between, it is important to note that Elden Ring does have a multi-player option.
Players can choose to cooperate with a party of up to four in the game to progress. Note that the progress you or any other player experiences within multi-player won’t be carried over to your respective worlds.
Also, Elden Ring’s multi-player mode can’t be entered as simply as inviting friends over from your Steam friends list or via random matchmaking as with other multi-player games.
The multi-player system is seamlessly integrated into Elden Ring’s gameplay. There are various items required before you can enter multi-player.
Sometimes, you’re also required to go to a Summoning Pool. Other players can also summon you into their world to ask for your aid to defeat bosses without risk, also granting you a lot of experience points in the process.
Items You Need to Summon Others in Elden Ring
The items you need to summon others in Elden Ring are as follows:
- Furlcalling Finger Remedy – This item is required to reveal both cooperative and competitive multi-player signs within your world. In essence, it will reveal a sign to be gold if it’s for co-op. If it’s red, it’s for more… hostile players. Unlike the other infinite-use items listed here, however, this one is consumable but easily craftable.
- Small Golden Effigy – This item can be used to send your own summon sign to other people’s summoning pools so that other people can summon you into their world. Very useful for farming experience points.
- Finger Severer – This item is generally used to kick players out of your world. Also, you can use this item to exit another player’s world.
- Tarnished’s Furled Finger – This item allows you to create a summon sign for a co-op session. Using this allows others to summon you into their worlds.
What Happens When You Summon Other Players in Elden Ring?
Using the Small Golden Effigy in a nearby summoning pool is the fastest way to get into a co-op game; however, do take note that you can be matched with absolutely anyone playing at the moment.
If you want to play strictly with friends, you must set a multi-player password in the multi-player settings and multi-player password submenu.
Now for the more important question: Is there PVP in Elden Ring?
Is There a PVP Option in Elden Ring?
Can you compete with others in Elden Ring? As you might have guessed from reading through the Furlcalling Finger Remedy’s description, there is a more… competitive… multi-player mode found in Elden Ring.
This PVP mode allows a player to summon another to a duel, and once accepted, a fight to the death begins.
Another item called Festering Bloody Fingers can also be used to invade another player’s world. In this invasion mode, your goal is to kill the host of the world you enter. Victors of these invasions gain experience points.
Is Elden Ring Destined to Become an eSport?
Most eSports and professional-level games tend to be team sports, with the exception of fighting games like Street Fighter, Tekken, Mortal Kombat, and maybe even Super Smash Bros.
It’s best to take note of the way Elden Ring is designed. Elden Ring is more focused on its individual game play and story progression, with the multi-player modes simply as added bonuses to its core gameplay. Unlike purely multiplayer games like League of Legends or Rocket League, Elden Ring is meant to be played even without a designated party.
However, Elden Ring’s dueling PVP mode might create battle competitions similar to the eSports fighting games mentioned earlier.
Since Elden Ring is relatively new, it might be too early to tell if it will become an eSport. The developers could even consider creating an update specifically geared towards team play and, hopefully, eSports. We’ll all just have to wait and see.
I hope you enjoyed this conversation about Elden Ring and its potential future as an eSport. If you have any notable experiences within Elden Ring’s co-op or competitive modes, or if you simply want to give suggestions and feedback, feel free to do so in the comments.
