FromSoftware’s smash hit adventure Elden Ring is officially being adapted for tabletop, with a solo or multiplayer adventure board game set to hit Kickstarter in the coming months. The project is described as a collaboration between Steamforged and Bandai Namco, with both companies having previously worked together on the dungeon-crawling Dark Souls board game.
Steamforged is a veteran of the board game industry, recently designing a number of excellent game adaptations – Horizon Zero Dawn, Resident Evil and RuneScape – alongside original properties, like Epic Encounters and Animal Adventures.
‘In a vast, sprawling world of decaying grandeur that unfolds through your exploration, you’ll embark on a huge and varied adventure, visiting iconic locations and crossing paths with familiar enemies and characters. Play solo, or with up to three other Tarnished,’ the game’s official description reads.
‘Experience the video game’s characteristically challenging fights recreated through intelligent, dice-free combat, where you’ll need to strategise and adapt your plans in each encounter — whether that be a lowly Godrick Soldier or the Grafted King himself.’
Read: Elden Ring is made more approachable by its community
Not much is known about how exactly the game will play, but it appears to include a nifty combat system and some form of exploration, which may align it with other epic narrative dungeon-crawler board games. Players will enter the Lands Between during gameplay, and fight to survive in an unforgiving world.
‘Our mission is always to deliver authentic tabletop adaptations that capture the essence of what fans know and love about the IP. Fans should expect a dark, richly-realised tabletop world of mystery and peril, with satisfying combat and rewarding exploration. Prepare to lose hours to this game, and to be glad about it,’ Mat Hart, Co-Founder and Chief Creative Officer at Steamforged Games, said in a press release.
The game is set to go live on Kickstarter in the coming months, although no date for the launch has been provided. You can follow along with progress and sign up to be notified on the board game’s official Kickstarter page, which will eventually open for pledges.
Given the nature of crowdfunding on Kickstarter and the vast array of projects currently in the works at Steamforged, you can expect the Elden Ring board game to be targeting a late 2023 or 2024 launch.
