The Frustrating Truth Behind Why You Can’t Join Your Friend in Elden Ring
Elden Ring is perhaps one of the most highly anticipated games of 2022, set to be released in January. Fans of the Soulsborne genre have been eagerly looking forward to the game for a long time, and it’s expected to be a massive hit. The game is being developed by FromSoftware and is directed by the legendary Hidetaka Miyazaki, who’s known for games such as Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice.
However, even though Elden Ring promises to be an epic adventure, there is one aspect of the game that has been causing quite a bit of frustration among fans. It’s the fact that you cannot join your friend in the game, at least not in a traditional co-op sense. This may seem like a minor issue, but for many players, the inability to play with friends is a major disappointment.
So what exactly is the reason why you can’t join your friend in Elden Ring? There are a few factors that contribute to this, and we’ll explore them in this article.
No Traditional Co-op Mode
First and foremost, it’s important to understand that Elden Ring doesn’t have a traditional co-op mode. This means that you cannot join your friend’s game as a cooperative partner. In other words, you cannot run around and fight alongside your friend. Instead, the game supports a feature known as “phantom assist”.
Phantom assist is a feature that allows players to leave behind a “trace” of their character, which other players can interact with. This trace can be used for various purposes, such as leaving a message or providing assistance in combat. However, this feature doesn’t allow you to play with your friend in real-time as a cooperative partner.
This decision was made by the developers for a few reasons. Firstly, the Soulsborne genre is known for its challenging gameplay and punishing difficulty. The developers felt that if they included traditional co-op, it would make the game too easy. Secondly, the game’s world is designed to be an immersive experience, and the presence of another player could take away from that experience.
Technical Limitations
Another reason why you can’t join your friend in Elden Ring is due to technical limitations. The game is designed to be played in a seamless open world, and the addition of another player could put a strain on the game’s performance. FromSoftware has always been known for prioritizing gameplay and world-building over graphical fidelity, and introducing co-op could detract from that focus.
It’s worth noting that the developers have implemented a feature that allows you to play with friends in certain areas of the game. However, this feature is limited, and it’s not available in every area of the game.
Focus on Singleplayer Experience
Finally, it’s important to understand that Elden Ring is designed to be a singleplayer experience. The game’s story and lore are intricately woven into the world, and everything from the environment to the enemy designs is geared towards storytelling. The developers believe that introducing co-op would disrupt the singleplayer experience and take away from the game’s storytelling.
Conclusion
In conclusion, while the inability to join your friend in Elden Ring may be frustrating, it’s important to understand the reasons why this decision was made. The game’s challenging gameplay, technical limitations, and focus on the singleplayer experience all played a role in the decision. While it may be disappointing, it’s clear that FromSoftware prioritized gameplay, world-building, and storytelling in the design of the game.
FAQs
1. Will Elden Ring have any kind of multiplayer mode?
While Elden Ring doesn’t have a traditional co-op mode, it does have features that allow players to interact with each other. This includes the phantom assist feature and the ability to play with friends in certain areas of the game.
2. Why did FromSoftware decide to prioritize singleplayer over multiplayer in Elden Ring?
FromSoftware believes that implementing traditional co-op would ruin the game’s challenging gameplay and immersive world. Additionally, the game’s story and lore are intricately tied to the singleplayer experience.
3. Are there any plans to add traditional co-op to Elden Ring in the future?
There are currently no plans to add traditional co-op to Elden Ring. The developers believe that the game’s design would be compromised by adding this feature.
4. Will phantom assist be enough to satisfy players who want to play with friends?
While phantom assist is a useful feature for leaving behind traces and messages, it’s not a substitute for traditional co-op. However, it may provide a way for players to interact with each other in a limited capacity.
5. Can players still enjoy Elden Ring without the ability to play with friends?
Absolutely. Elden Ring is designed to be a challenging and immersive singleplayer experience, and players can enjoy it just as much without the ability to play with friends.
