Elden Ring delayed to February 2022, closed network test announced for November

Elden Ring Blades Image
Elden Ring Blades Image (Image credit: Bandai Namco)

What you need to know

  • FromSofware and Bandai Namco's Elden Ring was originally slated to launch in January 2022.
  • Elden Ring is delayed to February 25, 2022, allowing the developers to further polish the overall experience.
  • An upcoming closed network test in November was announced alongside news of the delay.

Developer FromSoftware announced on Monday that its upcoming action role-playing game Elden Ring is being delayed to February 25, 2022. Additionally, the developers are holding a closed network test in November. Elden Ring was originally slated to arrive on January 21, 2022, meaning this delay is just a little over a month.

Recently, gameplay footage from what is reported to be the Xbox One version of the game leaked, showing a character jumping and some of the background environments. Elden Ring builds on the foundation of past FromSoftware games, which very Dark Souls-like combat structure, as well as stealth elements from the company's most recent game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.

There's also new elements like horseback traversal and combat, dynamic weather, as well as special Legacy Dungeons that restrict players from using the fast-travel system. The game is open world, meaning while there's an optimal route, players are free to explore wherever they want first.

When Elden Ring arrives, it'll be available on Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, Xbox One, PC, PS5 and PS4.

Samuel Tolbert
Freelance Writer

Samuel Tolbert is a freelance writer covering gaming news, previews, reviews, interviews and different aspects of the gaming industry, specifically focusing on Xbox and PC gaming on Windows Central. You can find him on Twitter @SamuelTolbert.