Leaked Elden Ring trailer footage appears online, shows first glimpse of horseback gameplay

Elden Ring (Image credit: BANDAI NAMCO)

What you need to know

Elden Ring was first revealed at E3 2019.
Today, a few seconds of blurry footage leaked from what is reportedly a trailer being used internally at Bandai Namco.
The blurry footage shows horseback riding in a snowy landscape, as well as a dragon.

First announced at the Xbox E3 2019 showcase, it's pretty safe to say that Elden Ring is one of the most mysterious, most hyped upcoming games, especially for hardcore audiences. Developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco, with a world and lore created in partnership with author George. R. R. Martin, this game is notable for just how much we don't know about it, as aside from a handful of tidbits shared in interviews, the statement above and a CGI reveal trailer are all we've gotten over the last year and a half.

That changed today, as a few snippets from a trailer appear to have leaked. While the footage is of the classic "shaky camera held offscreen" angle, several notable journalists and analysts with proven access to sensitive information, such as Jason Schreier at Bloomberg, as well as Andy Robinson at VGC, have confirmed the footage is real. So, if you want to have your first glimpse of an Elden Ring gameplay trailer, take a look below.

#EldenRing pic.twitter.com/Sz0dnY9zGg #EldenRing pic.twitter.com/Sz0dnY9zGg— Nick (@Shpeshal_Nick) March 1, 2021 March 1, 2021

This isn't from me, but I needed some way to share it elsewhere for those who care. #EldenRing pic.twitter.com/YxUNH9Fq2KThis isn't from me, but I needed some way to share it elsewhere for those who care. #EldenRing pic.twitter.com/YxUNH9Fq2K— AestheticGamer aka Dusk Golem (@AestheticGamer1) March 1, 2021 March 1, 2021

The blurry snippets show off horseback riding, which we did previously know about, as well as a fire-breathing dragon, a staple of FromSoftware titles.

Hopefully, the circulation of this trailer for internal use means that Elden Ring will be shown in a proper, official capacity sometime in the near future, though given how many games are being delayed out of 2021, we'll have to wait and see. Elden Ring was initially announced for Xbox One, PC and PS4, though it seems almost certain to also receive enhanced support on the newest consoles, the Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S and PS5.

The successor to Dark Souls

Elden Ring

It's coming...eventually!

Elden Ring is FromSoftware's next fantasy epic, featuring a focus on open-ended design in a universe created by both FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin.

Xbox Series X/S

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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 Bluesky ‪@samueltolbert.bsky.social‬.