In a recent interview, FromSoftware President Hidetaka Miyazaki stated that he will not be playing “Elden Ring” when it is released next year. After a two-year hiatus, FromSoftware and publisher Bandai Namco permitted “Elden Ring” to reemerge at Summer Game Fest earlier this year. “Elden Ring” was revealed alongside an official gameplay trailer and a release date, putting to rest speculations that the game didn’t exist or had been quietly canceled.
Those anticipating the new action RPG have seen a lot more of the game in action in the months since then. For example, new gameplay videos appear every now and again, and fresh facts continue to circulate in light of “Elden Ring‘s” impending release. In November, FromSoftare held a Closed Network Test, allowing a small group of gamers to have a firsthand look at the game. Unfortunately, the Closed Network Test, in conjunction with hacked PS4s, created a data mining gateway, allowing story-related “Elden Ring” details to be leaked. Surprisingly, the one individual who isn’t concerned about spoilers has no intentions to play the game after it launches.
“Elden Ring” Director Hidetaka Miyazaki said to Edge Magazine (via GameRant) that he is unlikely to play the RPG because he already knows all of its secrets. Nonetheless, the developer stated that this project is “very close” to his “ideal game.” Miyazaki told the publication, “[I] wouldn’t get any of the unknowns that the fresh player is going to experience… it wouldn’t feel like playing. But if I did, then this would be close to the ideal game I’d want.” The Director added that while he didn’t set out to create his ideal adventure with Elden Ring, “…the open-world enriches [the] ideal experience” he’s long wanted to achieve.
Of course, Hidetaka Miyazaki isn’t the first person to refuse to play his or her own game, and he won’t be the last. It’s still an intriguing line of thought, though, that someone may devote so much time and effort to a thing and yet never get to really appreciate it.
“Elden Ring” was supposed to be born in January 2022. The game was delayed by a month in October by FromSoftware and Bandai Namco, citing a need for more production time due to the “depth and strategic freedom” of the experience exceeding early expectations. The wait for the complete release, however, continues to shorten, much to the satisfaction of fans.