by From Software’s games have always had a certain niche audience, but with the release of Elden Ring, the size of that audience seems to have exploded. The Soulsborne formula works exceptionally well when applied to the open-world template, it turns out. In fact, one could argue that it’s exploration of a strange and vast world, rather than the usual Souls-style difficulties and mechanics, that makes Elden Ring so entertaining.
The open-world genre is quite extensive, and as with big winners before it, like Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed games or Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, the Elden Ring is sure to leave its mark on the playing field. The question is, what should the rest of the open world genre learn from Elden Ring?