How does Elden Ring multiplayer work, and does the new FromSoftware game support cross-platform play with your pals on other systems?
Those questions may well be on your mind as the Elden Ring release date nears, which each passing day bringing us closer to the launch of this ambitious new game that sprung – at least in part – from the mind of George RR Martin.
So if you want to learn everything there is to know about Elden Ring multiplayer, and you haven’t managed to join the Elden Ring demo to learn it all first-hand, keep on reading and we’ll tell you what to expect.
Elden Ring multiplayer details
Does Elden Ring have multiplayer? Yes it does, much like the Dark Souls games that FromSoftware made before. How does Elden Ring multiplayer work? Read on to find out!
These are the main Elden Ring multiplayer details you need to know: the game will have an online co-op experience and an online player-versus-player experience (PvP), but it will not feature any local/offline types of multiplayer gameplay.
You will unlock the ability to access Elden Ring’s online multiplayer very early on in the game. Items in the game’s multiplayer menu will allow you to interact with other players in a number of ways.
How does Elden Ring co-op work?
The co-op side of Elden Ring allows you to summon other players into your game using summoning signs, similar to what you might have experienced in the Dark Souls series. In Elden Ring, you can assemble teams of up to four players.
You can do this using an item known as the Furlcalling Finger Remedy. When you use this item, found in the multiplayer menu, you’ll see summoning signs on the floor – these represent other players who are willing to connect with you online.
If you would like to enter another player’s world yourself, you’ll need to use the Tarnished Furled Finger item. When you use one, your own summoning sign will be placed on the floor, and a player that uses a Furlcalling Finger Remedy in their own game should see that you’re ready and willing to jump in.
It is also possible to password-protect your game, so you can only be summoned by your mates instead of random strangers. This option can be found in the Multiplayer tab of the main menu. Select ‘Multiplayer Password’ and you can enter any word you like. Get your mates to do the enter the same password, and you should then be able to spot each other’s summoning signs instead of anyone else’s.
!["Elden]("https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2021/11/Elden-Ring-36ff449.jpg?quality=90&resize=620%2C413" "\"Elden-Ring-demo\"")
How does Elden Ring PvP work?
The PvP side of Elden Ring allows you to turn on your fellow players, instead of helping them, and there are two items that let you do this:
The Duelist’s Furled Finger item allows you to leave a red sign on the floor that other plays can see. You’ve basically offered to take part in a PvP duel, and any other player could take you up on the offer of a fight the death.
Or you could use the Bloody Finger, which will allow you to pick a player whose game you want to invade. When you do this, you’re basically picking on someone and heading into their game unannounced to try and kill them. What fun.
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Elden Ring multiplayer items explained
Just to recap what all those Elden Ring multiplayer items are for, which you find in the Multiplayer tab on the menu, here’s a quick list:
Furlcalling Finger Remedy: reveals summoning signs that other players have placed, allowing you to summon one of those players into your game.
Tarnished Furled Finger: lets you place a gold summoning sign, so another player can pull you into their game for co-op.
Duelist’s Furled Finger: places a red summoning sign on the floor, challenging other players to PvP duels.
Bloody Finger: allows you to pick a vulnerable player whose game you’d like to invade for PvP plundering.
Is Elden Ring cross-platform?
Elden Ring does not have full cross-platform support – if you’re playing on PlayStation, you won’t be able to link up with players on Xbox or PC, and vice versa.
However, Elden Ring does offer cross-gen support. This means that you can link up with pals that are in the same family consoles, even if you haven’t all upgraded to the latest generation of machine.
For example, PS4 and PS5 players can play the game together. Or if you’re on Xbox One, you’ll be able to play with people that have Xbox Series X or S.
All in all, then, there are plentiful options when it comes to Elden Ring multiplayer! Certainly, we’ll need some co-op help if the boss battles here are as hard as the Dark Souls ones!
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