Skip to main content

How Elden Ring dominated the headlines in 2022

And now my Fingers ache.

Elden Ring has absolutely dominated the news this year, so much so I've ended up writing 100 news pieces on it alone.

Well, 99 actually. So writing one more in celebration of the best Elden Ring news stories of the year seemed like a fitting way to hit that hundred.

And so below is my ranked list of top 20 favourites. Before that, a big thanks to the rest of the team too for their superb coverage in news, guides, videos, and Aoife's Essential review.

Elden Ring | Free Colosseum Update trailerWatch on YouTube

20. Elden Ring will feature poison swamps because Miyazaki loves making them

Ahead of the game's release, there was plenty of speculation about the kinds of areas Elden Ring would include. Poison swamps seemed an obvious choice, and it turns out Miyazaki loves them. They're in every Souls game. But then in the final release he trolled us further and gave us Caelid.

19. Elden Ring has a tutorial problem

For all its glory, Elden Ring (and its predecessors) has been rightly criticised for its lack of accessibility options, despite being more open than before. I, like many players, completely missed the game's tutorial - it's hidden down a hole of all places - and players debated whether this was good or bad. Then FromSoft went and patched it anyway.

18. Boundary breaking video hints at possible Elden Ring DLC

Well this was prophetic. Just over a week after its release, dataminers broke into the game's inaccessible colosseums and found hints at a possible forthcoming multiplayer mode. Nine months later, and that's exactly what we got in DLC.

17. Elden Ring modder cuts Erdtree to improve frame rate

Elden Ring had a few performance problems at launch, especially on PC. Various updates have since made improvements, but one modder took matters into their own hands when - in an effort to boost the frame rate - the Erdtree was entirely removed. You know, the big iconic glowy tree that dominates every vista? What was lost in artistry was gained in playability.

16. Elden Ring speedrunner finishes without dying in just 2.5 hours

This was the story that burst the floodgates. Soon after release, one player managed to speedrun the game in just two and a half hours. The next day someone else did it in under an hour. Then it was half an hour, twenty minutes, 10 minutes... it became impossible to keep up. According to speedrun.com, the record for an Any% Unrestricted run is now just 3m 56s.

15. Elden Ring's fake wall fixed in latest patch

Elden Ring is full of mystery and secrets but one in particular duped the community: the illusory wall in Volcano Manor. After 50 hits it would finally give way only to reveal absolutely nothing of use. FromSoft then patched it a couple of months later, proving it was just a glitch all along.

14. More Elden Ring cut content discovered, this time Vyke's questline

Data miners have discovered tonnes of cut content in the game, from dream collecting to merchant questlines, but this one really took the piss. Sekiro Dubi discovered a cut quest for some guy called Vyke. Who's he? He's only the guy on the cover! That's right, FromSoft had the audacity to put a guy on the cover and then remove his quest entirely.

13. The internet is far too horny for Elden Ring's wolfman Blaidd

Of all the game's characters, who knew that a sexy wolfman would draw in the most thirst? Even Blaidd's voice actor was surprised, noting "he's caused quite a stir in the furry world". And how did that make him feel? "Warm. Aroused. Comforted. And very loved."

Blaidd Reacts To Elden Ring TweetsWatch on YouTube

12. Elden Ring player meets Jesus for holy duel

Before the colosseum DLC, Elden Ring players invaded each other for a multiplayer fix. One player ended up being invaded by Jesus and Satan - two players who had a lot of fun with the character creator. Of course, all hell broke loose.

11. Twitch streamer completes Elden Ring, Sekiro, and Soulsborne games in one no hit run

Completing Elden Ring alone is challenging enough. But what about completing it without getting hit? What about doing that after completing every other Soulsborne game released? Twitch streamer dinossindgeil wasn't the first to complete the God Run 3, as it's known, but it's an incredibly impressive feat.

10. Elden Ring player stumbles on unknown invisible boss

Mods are dangerous. YouTuber MythyMoo found this out the hard way when playing Elden Ring with an item and boss randomiser. Things took a turn when an unknown invisible boss rocked up, somewhat unfairly increasing the considerable challenge of the game but likely the result of a glitch. Still, the streamer spent hours dissecting the game and strategising to eventually win anyway.

New never-before-seen boss in ELDEN RING Enemy RandomiserWatch on YouTube

9. George R. R. Martin admits he hasn't played Elden Ring as "people seem to want this Winds of Winter book"

After Elden Ring was released, fans speculated as to the extent of Game of Thrones author George R.R. Martin's involvement in the game beyond a quick fact sheet of names and lore. Then, by October, it turned out he hadn't even played the game. Apparently he's too busy being an author and writing some much-wanted book or other.

8. Elden Ring players discover underwear cut from final game

More cut content, this time some snazzy underwear. The Deathbed Smalls were unobtainable in the game without cheating, though some lucky players did get their hands on these pearly pants, eventually leading to an update to prevent cheating. Big shout out to Tom for the strap on this one: "A thong of ice and fire" is genius.

7. What would Elden Ring look like as a CRPG?

Elden Ring has inspired plenty of art over the past year, but I'm particularly fond of this CRPG recreation. YouTuber Flurdeh used camera tools to shift the perspective of the game, turning Miyazaki's bleak world into miniature dioramas. It's adorable.

Tiny Elden Ring | Tilt ShiftWatch on YouTube

6. What if Elden Ring was a SNES game?

Ok, one more. I'm partial to old JRPGs of the SNES era and this Elden Ring recreation from 64 Bits really hit the nostalgia nerve. A gorgeous pixelated Erdtree, a mode 7 world map, and screen-filling bosses. I need this to be a reality.

64 Bits - Elden Ring Demake for SNESWatch on YouTube

5. Elden Ring player hides in a bush for three hours to thwart a rune farmer

Some irritating trolls spent time farming runes by hiding in inaccessible areas until invaders got bored and left, instead of just playing the game normally. One player, though, had had enough and trolled the troll by - what else? - hiding in a bush for three hours.

4. Let Me Solo Her receives congratulatory sword from Elden Ring publisher

Elden Ring, like all Soulsborne games, is known for its high difficulty. But one player became a pillar of the community for their services to Tarnished around the world. After single-handedly killing Malenia - the game's most infamous boss - a thousand times on behalf of other struggling players, Bandai Namco gifted them a sword in thanks. Absolutely deserved.

3. Elden Ring boss beaten with an actual banana

A dance mat. A harp. A Fisher Price controller. Elden Ring fans have found a whole host of creative ways to control the game. But the award for most bizarre controller surely goes to Super Louis 64 who hooked up an actual bunch of bananas to play the game and managed to beat the first major boss without slipping up.

2. Elden Ring's pacifist turtle pope wins modded battle royale

Who would win in an Elden Ring boss battle royale? That's what YouTuber BjornTheBear decided to find out, by modding all the creatures from the game into one epic battle. And the winner? The pacifist pope turtle of course, who remained still and won by default without lifting a limb. Praise the dog!

The ULTIMATE Battle Royale of Animals - Elden RingWatch on YouTube

1. I bought Elden Ring runes on eBay so you don't have to

Runes are the main currency in Elden Ring, allowing players to level up their skills, purchase items, and more. Rune farming became a big deal, then, as players sought shortcuts to glory. The biggest shortcut of all, though, was buying runes on eBay from other players with actual money. I went undercover and did just that, purchasing 2m runes on the black market. It was like meeting a drug dealer. I felt dirty. I quickly deleted my save file. Was it worth it? No, except to bring you all this investigative report.

Read this next

seductrice.net
universo-virtual.com
buytrendz.net
thisforall.net
benchpressgains.com
qthzb.com
mindhunter9.com
dwjqp1.com
secure-signup.net
ahaayy.com
tressesindia.com
puresybian.com
krpano-chs.com
cre8workshop.com
hdkino.org
peixun021.com
qz786.com
utahperformingartscenter.org
worldqrmconference.com
shangyuwh.com
eejssdfsdfdfjsd.com
playminecraftfreeonline.com
trekvietnamtour.com
your-business-articles.com
essaywritingservice10.com
hindusamaaj.com
joggingvideo.com
wandercoups.com
wormblaster.net
tongchengchuyange0004.com
internetknowing.com
breachurch.com
peachesnginburlesque.com
dataarchitectoo.com
clientfunnelformula.com
30pps.com
cherylroll.com
ks2252.com
prowp.net
webmanicura.com
sofietsshotel.com
facetorch.com
nylawyerreview.com
apapromotions.com
shareparelli.com
goeaglepointe.com
thegreenmanpubphuket.com
karotorossian.com
publicsensor.com
taiwandefence.com
epcsur.com
southstills.com
tvtv98.com
thewellington-hotel.com
bccaipiao.com
colectoresindustrialesgs.com
shenanddcg.com
capriartfilmfestival.com
replicabreitlingsale.com
thaiamarinnewtoncorner.com
gkmcww.com
mbnkbj.com
andrewbrennandesign.com
cod54.com
luobinzhang.com
faithfirst.net
zjyc28.com
tongchengjinyeyouyue0004.com
nhuan6.com
kftz5k.com
oldgardensflowers.com
lightupthefloor.com
bahamamamas-stjohns.com
ly2818.com
905onthebay.com
fonemenu.com
notanothermovie.com
ukrainehighclassescort.com
meincmagazine.com
av-5858.com
yallerdawg.com
donkeythemovie.com
corporatehospitalitygroup.com
boboyy88.com
miteinander-lernen.com
dannayconsulting.com
officialtomsshoesoutletstore.com
forsale-amoxil-amoxicillin.net
generictadalafil-canada.net
guitarlessonseastlondon.com
lesliesrestaurants.com
mattyno9.com
nri-homeloans.com
rtgvisas-qatar.com
salbutamolventolinonline.net
sportsinjuries.info
wedsna.com
rgkntk.com
bkkmarketplace.com
zxqcwx.com
breakupprogram.com
boxcardc.com
unblockyoutubeindonesia.com
fabulousbookmark.com
beat-the.com
guatemala-sailfishing-vacations-charters.com
magie-marketing.com
kingstonliteracy.com
guitaraffinity.com
eurelookinggoodapparel.com
howtolosecheekfat.net
marioncma.org
oliviadavismusic.com
shantelcampbellrealestate.com
shopleborn13.com
topindiafree.com
v-visitors.net
djjky.com
053hh.com
originbluei.com
baucishotel.com
33kkn.com
intrinsiqresearch.com
mariaescort-kiev.com
mymaguk.com
sponsored4u.com
crimsonclass.com
bataillenavale.com
searchtile.com
ze-stribrnych-struh.com
zenithalhype.com
modalpkv.com
bouisset-lafforgue.com
useupload.com
37r.net
autoankauf-muenster.com
bantinbongda.net
bilgius.com
brabustermagazine.com
indigrow.org
miicrosofts.net
mysmiletravel.com
selinasims.com
spellcubesapp.com
usa-faction.com
hypoallergenicdogsnames.com
dailyupdatez.com
foodphotographyreviews.com
cricutcom-setup.com
chprowebdesign.com
katyrealty-kanepa.com
tasramar.com
bilgipinari.org
four-am.com
indiarepublicday.com
inquick-enbooks.com
iracmpi.com
kakaschoenen.com
lsm99flash.com
nana1255.com
ngen-niagara.com
technwzs.com
virtualonlinecasino1345.com
wallpapertop.net
casino-natali.com
iprofit-internet.com
denochemexicana.com
eventhalfkg.com
medcon-taiwan.com
life-himawari.com
myriamshomes.com
nightmarevue.com
healthandfitnesslives.com
androidnews-jp.com
allstarsru.com
bestofthebuckeyestate.com
bestofthefirststate.com
bestwireless7.com
britsmile.com
declarationintermittent.com
findhereall.com
jingyou888.com
lsm99deal.com
lsm99galaxy.com
moozatech.com
nuagh.com
patliyo.com
philomenamagikz.net
rckouba.net
saturnunipessoallda.com
tallahasseefrolics.com
thematurehardcore.net
totalenvironment-inthatquietearth.com
velislavakaymakanova.com
vermontenergetic.com
kakakpintar.com
begorgeouslady.com
1800birks4u.com
2wheelstogo.com
6strip4you.com
bigdata-world.net
emailandco.net
gacapal.com
jharpost.com
krishnaastro.com
lsm99credit.com
mascalzonicampani.com
sitemapxml.org
thecityslums.net
topagh.com
flairnetwebdesign.com
rajasthancarservices.com
bangkaeair.com
beneventocoupon.com
noternet.org
oqtive.com
smilebrightrx.com
decollage-etiquette.com
1millionbestdownloads.com
7658.info
bidbass.com
devlopworldtech.com
digitalmarketingrajkot.com
fluginfo.net
naqlafshk.com
passion-decouverte.com
playsirius.com
spacceleratorintl.com
stikyballs.com
top10way.com
yokidsyogurt.com
zszyhl.com
16firthcrescent.com
abogadolaboralistamd.com
apk2wap.com
aromacremeria.com
banparacard.com
bosmanraws.com
businessproviderblog.com
caltonosa.com
calvaryrevivalchurch.org
chastenedsoulwithabrokenheart.com
cheminotsgardcevennes.com
cooksspot.com
cqxzpt.com
deesywig.com
deltacartoonmaps.com
despixelsetdeshommes.com
duocoracaobrasileiro.com
fareshopbd.com
goodpainspills.com
hemendekor.com
kobisitecdn.com
makaigoods.com
mgs1454.com
piccadillyresidences.com
radiolaondafresca.com
rubendorf.com
searchengineimprov.com
sellmyhrvahome.com
shugahouseessentials.com
sonihullquad.com
subtractkilos.com
valeriekelmansky.com
vipasdigitalmarketing.com
voolivrerj.com
zeelonggroup.com
1015southrockhill.com
10x10b.com
111-online-casinos.com
191cb.com
3665arpentunitd.com
aitesonics.com
bag-shokunin.com
brightotech.com
communication-digitale-services.com
covoakland.org
dariaprimapack.com
freefortniteaccountss.com
gatebizglobal.com
global1entertainmentnews.com
greatytene.com
hiroshiwakita.com
iktodaypk.com
jahatsakong.com
meadowbrookgolfgroup.com
newsbharati.net
platinumstudiosdesign.com
slotxogamesplay.com
strikestaruk.com
trucosdefortnite.com
ufabetrune.com
weddedtowhitmore.com
12940brycecanyonunitb.com
1311dietrichoaks.com
2monarchtraceunit303.com
601legendhill.com
850elaine.com
adieusolasomade.com
andora-ke.com
bestslotxogames.com
cannagomcallen.com
endlesslyhot.com
iestpjva.com
ouqprint.com
pwmaplefest.com
qtylmr.com
rb88betting.com
buscadogues.com
1007macfm.com
born-wild.com
growthinvests.com
promocode-casino.com
proyectogalgoargentina.com
wbthompson-art.com
whitemountainwheels.com
7thavehvl.com
developmethis.com
funkydogbowties.com
travelodgegrandjunction.com
gao-town.com
globalmarketsuite.com
blogshippo.com
hdbka.com
proboards67.com
outletonline-michaelkors.com
kalkis-research.com
thuthuatit.net
buckcash.com
hollistercanada.com
docterror.com
asadart.com
vmayke.org
erwincomputers.com
dirimart.org
okkii.com
loteriasdecehegin.com
mountanalog.com
healingtaobritain.com
ttxmonitor.com
nwordpress.com
11bolabonanza.com