Elden Ring is a heavily anticipated video game collaboration of Souls mastermind Hidetaka Miyazaki of From Software and novelist, George RR Martin. The game was announced in E3 2019 with little information about the story and setting, with hints at what the gameplay would turn out to be. There hasn't been much information since then, which has left fans speculating about the various aspects of the game.
However, there have been multiple reports about what the gameplay of Elden Ring would be like, with the biggest and strongest one being Hidetaka Miyazaki's claim of Elden Ring being an "open-field game." In addition to this, many fans believe that Elden Ring may go back to featuring traditional souls like classes which, for now at least, seems unlikely.
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Classes in Souls games work very differently from most other RPGs. The classes in a traditional Souls or Soulslike games are little more than starting stats and gear, as the developers and the game put few restrictions on what the players can or cannot do within the class. Generally speaking, players can upgrade any stat to any level they choose, opening up a bunch of playstyles and character-build possibilities for PvP. This is part of the charm of these games and makes them highly replayable and best-in-class in player agency and subsequent player expression.
However, this system can prove cumbersome to newer players. From the perspective of a first-time player, the character creator menu shows a list of visually distinct classes which would make them believe that this choice is sure to dictate the rest of their playthrough. The open-ended and looping level-design of these games also means that players, both new and experienced, will come across a bunch of loot that may or may not be useful to the kind of character build they are going for. On top of that, traditional Souls games rarely hold players' hands and, instead, implore them to figure out the intricacies and nuances in their system by themselves which can be quite daunting for newer players.
From Software's latest title, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice makes huge changes to the formula when compared to Dark Souls. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice doesn't feature any classes and streamlines the progression with the addition of Prayer Beads and Boss Memories that increase the handful of player stats, without sacrificing much in the name of the aforementioned accessibility. Optional bosses can be defeated for extra stats, giving players a bit of leeway for difficult areas. Different prosthetic tools give way to player expression as it allows for a bunch of different playstyle and character-builds optimized for everything from high-damage output to carefully timed speedruns.
That is not to say that traditional classes are bad or completely inaccessible by any means. Even inexperienced players can look up a guide on some of the best classes in the Souls games and, perhaps, get a fair bit of advantage in some starting areas or perhaps, get a hold of something useful for the rest of the game. But this again requires players to seek additional help that can deter them from venturing into the abyss on their own, which is also a part of the charm of these games.
Elden Ring has been described by some as the evolution of the Dark Souls formula and, in some cases, more comparable to Dark Souls than Sekiro. As much as fans are clamoring for the old to return, as evident by the huge success of games like Demon's Souls remake for the PS5, the prospect of classes still seems highly unlikely.
Elden Ring's open-field concept looks to be a pivotal factor in the experience, with many believing it will work similarly to games such as cult-classic Shadow of the Colossus. The claim is further bolstered by his other claims and quotes in the past, where he stated that games such as Ico inspired him to be a game developer. In turn, with bold design decisions, he'd create the fan-beloved Dark Souls.
With George R.R. Martin at the helm, the lore element to the game seems to be more important than ever. This does mean that players can uncover a lot of secrets and mysteries within the field as well as the rumored 8 massive kingdoms for Elden Ring. Constantly grinding for XP and frequent backtracking and searches for suitable loot can deter players' attention away from exploration and finding new bits of story, which could be in traditional From Software style.
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The argument of having no classes does pose a few questions. Elden Ring is expected to come with a character creator and forgoing elements vital to the system such as classes, as well as traditional Souls classes, can end up making the whole system feel a bit unrealized especially for fans of the older games.
However, there is an interesting alternative already out there. Elden Ring's reveal trailer showcases a bunch of gruesome visuals, among which is a peculiar knight reattaching an arm as he prepares for what might await him in the field. This could turn out to be one of the vital elements of Elden Ring's gameplay, and possibly even replace traditional classes and to some extent, progression.
These detachable arms and prosthetics can then be spread all over the gargantuan world and players would be allowed to pick up any that suits them, with each of them having different stats and possibly, a bunch of different play styles such as ranged, elemental, and the likes. Upgrades to them can be done in traditional form with streamlined progression carried directly from the likes of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. It is to be noted here, that this is mostly just speculation and no such information has been officially given out, but this is not a concept completely unique either. Depending on Elden Ring's approach, this may just bring about a whole new way to think of "classes."
That being said, the change of formula with Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice had been well-received by the community and even won multiple accolades such as Game of The Year 2019, and the iconic duo behind the game should give zealous fans a sigh of relief until substantial information on Elden Ring is shelled out possibly in 2021.
Elden Ring is currently in development.