Everything You Need to Know About FromSoftware’s Open-World Action RPG

ELDEN RING is FromSoftware’s open-world action RPG set across the vast and mysterious Lands Between. Created by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding developed alongside George R.R. Martin, the game combines challenging combat, exploration, character customization, massive bosses, and a world filled with hidden stories.

Gotta Get Geek covers the practical side of Elden Ring alongside the deeper questions surrounding the game, including guides, useful items, Rune Farms, locations, tips, walkthroughs, lore, and analysis.

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ELDEN RING AT A GLANCE

Developer	FromSoftware
Publisher	Bandai Namco Entertainment
Original Release	February 25, 2022
Nintendo Switch 2 Release	August 28, 2026
Platforms	PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, PC, Nintendo Switch 2
Genre	Action RPG
Protagonist	Tarnished
Setting	The Lands Between
Expansion	Shadow of the Erdtree
Multiplayer	Online Co-op & PvP

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WHAT IS ELDEN RING?

ELDEN RING follows the Tarnished, an exiled warrior who returns to the Lands Between after the Elden Ring has been shattered. Guided by Grace, the Tarnished sets out to recover the Great Runes and ultimately pursue the title of Elden Lord.

Rather than leading players through a strictly linear adventure, Elden Ring gives them an enormous world to explore at their own pace. Progress can come from defeating bosses, discovering new areas, collecting equipment, developing a character build, or simply wandering into something unexpected.

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THE LANDS BETWEEN

The Lands Between is built around exploration and discovery. From Limgrave and Caelid to Liurnia of the Lakes, Altus Plateau, Mountaintops of the Giants, and beyond, each region introduces new enemies, environments, dungeons, characters, and secrets.

The open world also changes how players approach progression. A difficult enemy or boss does not necessarily mean players have reached a dead end. There is often another path to take, another weapon to find, or another way to strengthen the Tarnished before returning.

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COMBAT

Elden Ring’s combat combines the deliberate style associated with FromSoftware’s games with a much greater degree of freedom. Players can fight with swords, great weapons, shields, bows, spells, incantations, Ashes of War, and a wide variety of other tools.

The game’s enemies and bosses encourage players to learn attack patterns, manage stamina, choose their equipment carefully, and adapt their approach. Players can also use stealth, summons, ranged attacks, status effects, and different character builds to change how encounters are handled.

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CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT

Runes are central to character progression. As players defeat enemies and discover new areas, they collect Runes that can be used to increase attributes and develop their Tarnished.

With numerous weapons, armor pieces, spells, talismans, and attributes available, Elden Ring allows players to build characters around very different playstyles. Strength, Dexterity, Intelligence, Faith, Arcane, and hybrid builds can all lead to dramatically different experiences.

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RUNES

Runes serve as both currency and the primary method of leveling up. They can be earned by defeating enemies, discovering certain locations, and completing different activities throughout the Lands Between.

Because Runes are so important to progression, knowing how to acquire them efficiently can make a significant difference, particularly when preparing for difficult bosses or experimenting with different builds.

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RUNE FARMING

Rune farming provides players with ways to efficiently collect large amounts of Runes. Different farming locations become useful at different points in the game, making it possible to develop a routine that matches your current level and progression.

Early Game Rune Farm →

Our early game Rune Farm guide covers a straightforward farming route that can be reached relatively early in the adventure.

Gold Scarab →

The Gold Scarab is a useful item for increasing the number of Runes earned from enemies, making it particularly valuable when farming.

Late Game Rune Farm →

For players deeper into the game, the late-game Rune Farm provides a much more efficient way to build up a large supply of Runes.

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ITEMS & EQUIPMENT

Elden Ring features an enormous collection of weapons, armor, shields, talismans, spells, incantations, consumables, and other useful equipment. Finding the right combination can completely change how a character plays.

Some items are powerful on their own, while others become especially useful when combined with a particular build or strategy.

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BOSSES & CHALLENGES

Bosses are one of the defining parts of Elden Ring. From massive creatures encountered in the open world to major encounters hidden inside Legacy Dungeons, the game constantly introduces new challenges.

Some bosses are required for progression, while others are optional discoveries. Many can also be approached in different ways depending on a player’s build, equipment, and preferred strategy.

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SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE

Shadow of the Erdtree expands Elden Ring with an entirely new region known as the Realm of Shadow. The expansion adds new areas to explore, enemies and bosses to fight, weapons and equipment to discover, and additional pieces of the world’s story.

For players who have already explored the Lands Between, the expansion provides another massive adventure built around the same emphasis on discovery and challenging combat.

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THE WORLD OF ELDEN RING

Much of Elden Ring’s story is discovered rather than directly explained. Dialogue, item descriptions, environmental details, architecture, enemy placement, and seemingly insignificant discoveries can all provide pieces of the larger picture.

That approach makes the Lands Between a world that rewards paying attention. The deeper you look, the more connections begin to emerge between its characters, factions, locations, and history.

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HOW ELDEN RING DIFFERS

Elden Ring takes many of the ideas associated with FromSoftware’s earlier games and expands them into an open-world structure. Instead of moving through a mostly interconnected sequence of areas, players have far more freedom to decide where they want to go and what they want to pursue.

That freedom also changes the way difficulty works. When something feels impossible, the answer may simply be somewhere else in the world.

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ELDEN RING TARNISHED EDITION

The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Elden Ring brings the Lands Between to Nintendo’s newer hardware. Elden Ring Tarnished Edition also includes Shadow of the Erdtree along with additional content for the adventure.

For Nintendo players, this version provides a new way to experience one of FromSoftware’s largest games.

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EXPLORE ELDEN RING

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Last updated: September 2026