Everything we know about Elden Ring 2’s potential, release timeline, story direction, and developer plans
Will There Be an Elden Ring 2?
The possibility of Elden Ring 2 appears increasingly likely as we analyze official statements and industry patterns. Here’s our comprehensive breakdown of what a potential sequel might entail and when we could expect it.
With the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC approaching, speculation about Elden Ring’s future intensifies. This guide synthesizes official announcements, developer interviews, and historical patterns to forecast the franchise’s trajectory.
Elden Ring’s commercial success cannot be overstated. Selling 12 million copies makes it FromSoftware’s most successful launch ever, surpassing even Dark Souls’ most optimistic projections. The game’s refined multiplayer systems and expansive world design ensure community engagement will remain high for years, providing a solid foundation for franchise expansion.
Bandai Namco’s deliberate use of “franchise” terminology signals long-term planning beyond a single title. While concrete details remain scarce, examining FromSoftware’s development history, Souls series narrative conventions, and Elden Ring’s multiple endings reveals potential sequel frameworks already taking shape.
Important disclaimer: This analysis includes speculative elements based on developer patterns and narrative clues. Spoilers for Elden Ring’s endings and Dark Souls series narrative structures follow.
Official Statements and Franchise Intent
FromSoftware’s joint press release with Bandai Namco provides our strongest evidence. Describing Elden Ring’s success as “a fantastic start for the new franchise” establishes clear expansion intentions beyond the initial release.
The company’s statement continues: “Much effort was placed into creating Elden Ring so that we could exceed the expectations of our fans worldwide. We will continue our efforts in expanding the brand beyond the game itself and into everyone’s daily life.” This language suggests multimedia expansion alongside potential sequels.
Thank you, dear consorts. #ELDENRING pic.twitter.com/IC9sgUTUud
— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) March 16, 2022
Based on these corporate communications, Elden Ring 2 seems virtually inevitable. However, realistic timing expectations require examining recent developer interviews and industry realities.
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Timeline Realities: When Might We See Elden Ring 2?
Hidetaka Miyazaki’s 2024 Game Watch interview provides crucial tempering of expectations. The director stated plainly: “At this point, we are not considering developments such as ‘Elden Ring 2’.” However, he immediately clarified: “This does not mean that we are denying the development of the IP Elden Ring.”
This distinction matters greatly. Miyazaki suggests we’ll first witness spin-off projects and multimedia adaptations before a direct sequel emerges. He’s previously mentioned exploring Elden Ring movie or television adaptations with suitable production partners.
The Elden Ring Books of Knowledge volume 2 offers another clue. Miyazaki reveals that “some Lore Bit clarifications and reveals are being saved for future games,” confirming narrative elements are intentionally being withheld for subsequent titles.
No formal Elden Ring 2 announcement exists currently. Beyond Bandai Namco’s franchise language, no release date or development confirmation has surfaced.
Elden Ring represented FromSoftware’s most ambitious project to date. Historical patterns show Souls sequels typically arrive 2-4 years after their predecessors. Considering Elden Ring’s scale and Miyazaki’s current statements, a 3-5 year minimum wait seems reasonable.
FromSoftware’s hiring tweets mentioning “several new projects” suggest multiple developments underway. One could potentially be Elden Ring 2, but others might include new IPs or the previously mentioned multimedia adaptations.
The Brandon Sanderson Collaboration Possibility
Brandon Sanderson, celebrated author of The Mistborn series, has expressed interest in collaborating with FromSoftware on a Souls-like project. Initial rumors suggested Sanderson nearly worked on Elden Ring before George R.R. Martin’s involvement, though Sanderson clarified these were humorous exaggerations.
The situation evolved when Sanderson received a gift box from Bandai Namco during a stream. He commented: “They are interested in perhaps doing something together, is what that says. I am as well, actually… I actually have a pitch for them in the back of my head… so I may have to send them my pitch and see what they think.”
While collaboration appears possible, Elden Ring 2 seems an unlikely vehicle. George R.R. Martin and Hidetaka Miyazaki established the franchise’s creative foundation. Introducing another author’s vision into an existing universe presents narrative challenges.
More probable is Sanderson contributing to a new FromSoftware IP published by Bandai Namco. This would allow his distinctive worldbuilding to shine without conflicting with established Elden Ring lore. Whether this potential partnership materializes remains uncertain.
Narrative Direction: What Could Elden Ring 2 Look Like?
Elden Ring 2 will likely follow Dark Souls’ sequel philosophy rather than direct narrative continuation. Previous Souls sequels typically occur centuries after originals, avoiding canonical ending declarations while incorporating all player choices.
Dark Souls 2 and 3 masterfully incorporated every possible ending through cyclical world concepts. Whether players linked the fire or embraced darkness, the world eventually reset, allowing subsequent games to acknowledge all possibilities without contradiction.
These sequels depicted worlds increasingly aware of their cyclical nature, with characters seeking escape from predetermined patterns. Each kingdom rose upon previous civilizations’ ruins regardless of prior choices, demonstrating narrative flexibility.
Elden Ring 2 could implement similar narrative mechanics. Returning to the Lands Between centuries later might reveal countless Elden Lords have risen and fallen. The Elden Ring itself could inhabit new vessels beyond Marika.
Each Elden Ring ending contains inherent flaws—Age of Fracture maintains problematic status quos, Age of Stars introduces cosmic detachment, and Frenzied Flame offers destructive finality. None provide perfect solutions, leaving narrative room for sequel exploration.
The sequel could begin during any ending’s aftermath or countless ages later. Like the First Flame’s cyclical nature, reactivating the Elden Ring might represent merely another chapter in an ongoing saga rather than definitive conclusion.
Miyazaki’s Reddit comments reinforce this direction: “Some lore bit clarifications and reveals are being saved for future games.” This confirms narrative elements intentionally await future exploration, suggesting Elden Ring 2 will expand rather than replace existing lore.
Practical Insights and What to Expect Next
That summarizes current Elden Ring 2 knowledge. For additional major upcoming releases, explore these anticipated titles:
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