In the runup to the game's release, FromSoftware is gradually revealing more of Elden Ring's world, showing off the classes, and wheeling out Hidetaka Miyazaki for interviews. People are playing this thing, somewhere in the world, right now. Elden Ring is not a dream, it is actually happening.
If that feels a bit like I'm over-egging it, well I am: But for the Elden Ring obsessives this has been such a long time coming. The game was announced at E3 2019, but then went completely dark until June 2021. A small amount of time in the grand scheme of things, but a stretch that had the subreddit going bananas over a single tweet that gave them hope.
When the game 'leaked', in absolute potato quality, there was even a slight disappointment that Elden Ring was no longer just in the domain of pure imaginative fantasy. When the actual trailer dropped, it was reduced to inarticulate shouting.
It has been a long time for these folks. And of course in the runup to release, the subreddit is seeing an influx of new players to this domain of grizzled hype veterans. As Camping Obsessive puts it: "When you see an r/Eldenring newbie discussing the 'age of hollowing'..."
This article was inspired after I saw a screenshot of the Elden Ring subreddit doing the rounds on Twitter. It's a more self-aware and amusing post than some give it credit for, written by Old_Wet_Hole (choose your usernames carefully, kids), and is titled: Is anyone else having genuine anxiety about dying before elden ring comes out? The text reads: "I drank two cups of coffee this morning, my heart fluttered a bit and my first thought was "Oh God please no, not before Elden Ring." I am 28 years old. I feel ridiculous."
That is ridiculous, but it's also completely relatable. We do look forward to things like this with such excitement that it can seem to dwarf everything else in life for a while, and you do occasionally have these daft half-thoughts while Actually Serious Stuff is happening. As JunkMatt says in the replies, "I realized how fucked my brain was today while I was thinking about the Ukraine conflict (as you do) and my first thought was "what if Russia invades and Elden Ring gets delayed" my brain is broken."
I've been watching all this stuff about the classes, and feel exactly the same way that GWUN- does.
Patrick Bateman is a generally popular choice for memes, but he does quite suit Elden Ring. Environmental-Tea262's effort is particularly excellent, almost impossible to read it without hearing Bale's delivery:
The self-deprecating humour is what I enjoy about my fellow Souls obsessives. Yes, we're all-in on these games and yes, we know it can look a bit daft when we're arguing the toss over some bog monster's role in a empire's collapse. Thing is: It's worth every minute. Even if, by playing the game, you have to spoil it for yourself.
The PC requirements have come in for some amused reaction. I don't really get the Michael Zaki thing but I'll put it down to Eltruzz's youth humour.
The joke is: They were higher than folks expected. I'm lucky enough that it should run decently, but it must be agonising if your hardware is just on the cusp: the Elden Ring's subreddit's reaction as whole is encapsulated here.
NoteBlock08 feels the dilemma acutely.
Meanwhile Bongio shares the thought that all Tarnished have when their significant other asks if we've any plans for next weekend.
As they say: Family first.
Aside from all the jokes, there's the occasional reminder that this fan community boasts some excellent artists, and I liked this drawing of Fromsoft protagonists themselves waiting on release.
The Dark Souls 2 guy having a wee is a great touch.
The imminent arrival of the object of this subreddit's adoration is a funny old time to be there: These places over time become familiar haunts, with their own big personalities and in-jokes, and a great sense of camaraderie builds around the shared passion for a much-anticipated game. It can almost feel a little melancholy at times though then again, as PixelatedCatMom puts it:
PIPPIN: I didn't think it would end this way.
GANDALF: End? No, the memes doesn't end here. Elden Ring is just another game, one that we all must play. The grey rain-curtain of this hollowing rolls back, and all turns to the game's opening cinematic, and then you see it.
PIPPIN: What? Gandalf? See what?
GANDALF: Best game of all time, and beyond... so much content and memes it will last for decades to come.
PIPPIN: Well, that isn't so bad.
GANDALF: No. No, it isn't.
Elden Ring releases March 25. Seriously.
