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Elden Ring release countdown – live: When you can play the new game on PS5, Xbox, PC and more
Make sure to save enough space to download the game ahead of its launch
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Your support makes all the difference.Update: We’re following reactions to Elden Ring’s launch from around the world. Keep reading below for updates on launch times, trailers, in-game tips and more.
From the creator of Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice with writing from Game of Thrones author George RR Martin, Elden Ring is a dark fantasy game that will challenge veterans and newcomers alike.
It’s one of the most highly anticipated releases this year and with a release date of 25 February 2022, it’s literally just around the corner. Now that pre-orders of the game are available, players will be able to preload the game onto their console of choice.
One of the best things about downloading a game ahead of is launch is that it will be ready to play as soon as it goes live, rather than having to wait hours for day one patches and other updates.
If you pre-order Elden Ring you will be able to play the game as soon as it goes live in your region, but when is that exactly?
Luckily for you, we’ve got that intel. So, if you want to find out what time Elden Ring goes live in your area then follow along for all the latest updates.
Read more:
What time does ‘Elden Ring’ come out in the UK?
According to a new post on the official Elden Ring Twitter page, Elden Ring will receive a local release of 12:00am on 25 February 2022 on consoles, meaning that the game will be playable at the stroke of midnight in most time zones.
Of course, that will mean some time zones will be able to play the game a few hours ahead of others. Players in Japan will be able to start the game ahead of those in the UK and so on.
The good news for PC players is that they will be able to play the game an hour before their console counterparts – in the UK that means a release time of 11pm on 24 February. This is due to PC servers in North America, the UK and Europe all going live simultaneously.
Based on current preload information, Elden Ring is approximately just under 50GB in size, which is fairly modest compared to a lot of other major releases. If you’re hoping to have some space allocated for Elden Ring on your games console then make sure you have enough to download the full game before the launch window.
‘Elden Ring' launching 25 February
Hello everyone, and welcome to our special Elden Ring liveblog!
We’ll be following the live launch of the game around the world as players start their journey in the Lands Between. Elden Ring is already one of the most highly acclaimed games of all time, according to site aggregators Metacritic and Opencritic.
Follow along as we liveblog early reactions to the game around the world!
‘Elden Ring’ review
One of the biggest games of the year is only a few hours away. Elden Ring is FromSoftware’s latest openworld game with writing and world-building from Game of Thrones author George RR Martin.
We had a chance to review the game and it’s nothing short of a masterpiece. In our review of Elden Ring, we said: “Elden Ring is by far the most accessible game the developer has made, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. Rather than lowering the difficulty ceiling, it has instead raised the floor.
By throwing open the doors of its vast world, Elden Ring maintains the genre’s reputation for challenge without being marred by artificial barriers to entry.
With an updated combat system that combines Sekiro with the classic Souls formula, Elden Ring is one of the best games FromSoftware has ever made and is a strong, early contender for 2022’s game of the year... but it’s not for the faint of heart.”
Read our full review of Elden Ring to see why it lives up to the hype.
Elden Ring review: We died a lot... but loved it anyway
What are the launch times for ‘Elden Ring’?
If you’ve managed to pre-load Elden Ring to play it the instant it becomes available in your region, then the following release windows for PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox series X/S consoles can be found below:
- UK - 25 February (Midnight GMT)
- Europe - 25 February (Midnight CET)
- East Coast United States - 25 February (Midnight EST)
- West Coast US - 24 February (9pm PT)
And for the PC version of Elden Ring, the game will launch in those same territories at the following times:
- UK - 24 February (11pm GMT)
- Europe - 25 February (Midnight CET)
- East Coast United States - 24 February (6pm EST)
- West Coast United States - 24 February (3pm PT)
For details on more time zones around the world, you can find a map below for your local area:
‘Elden Ring’ on consoles is now available in Japan
FromSoftware’s latest game is now available for console users in its native Japan!
While Europe, the UK and United States will still have to wait a few more hours before the game becomes available to play locally, Elden Ring has never felt closer.
Where to watch ‘Elden Ring’ gameplay live
It looks like Elden Ring is finally out in the wild now, with countries like Australia and New Zealand, already able to play the game on home consoles.
We’ve already started to see a couple of livestreams pop up showing early parts of the game. If you want to take a closer look at some of Elden Ring’s early gameplay, then you can find streams on platforms such as Twitch and YouTube.
At the time of writing, Elden Ring is already one of the most popular categories on Twitch, with thousands of viewers eager to get a glimpse of the gameplay.
It’s not too late to pick up a “launch edition” copy of Elden Ring if you are still on the fence.
Elden Ring will retail at a price of around ?59.99 on PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X and Series S, PlayStation 5, Xbox One and PC but we’ve seen pre-orders advertised for much less than that.
A number of discounts are available at different retailers for the launch edition of Elden Ring. From Very (?49.99, Very.co.uk), Amazon (?44.95, Amazon.co.uk), Game (?54.99, Game.co.uk), and Argos (?49.99, Argos.co.uk).
The “launch edition” includes a physical copy of the game, art cards, a woven patch, stickers, a poster and a limited-edition metal disc case. We’ve rounded up the best deals we’ve found for the launch edition on Playstation, Xbox and PC.
Find out where you can get the best pre-order deals for Elden Ring before the game’s release.
Here’s where to pre-order Elden Ring on Playstation, Xbox and PC
‘Elden Ring’ launch trailer
A few days ago, Bandai Namco posted a final video on their YouTube channel before Elden Ring’s launch on 25 February, which revealed some new details about the game (caution: potential spoilers ahead).
In previous gameplay trailers, we’ve rarely seen outside the game’s start area of “Limgrave”, a forested area right at the start of the game. With the launch trailer, we can finally see some new enemy types and more varied biomes to roam around in. There’s even suggestion of fights taking place in a realm of the more “cosmic” variety. Fans of Bloodborne should have their interest piqued.
You can watch the trailer in full below.
Which class should you choose in ‘Elden Ring’?
One of the first decisions you will need to make in Elden Ring is which class to start as. While you’re free to explore different skills throughout the game, an early head start can make all the difference, depending on whether you favour melee, magic, stealth or ranged abilities.
Bandai Namco have already shared the 10 classes that players can choose from at the start of the game on their Twitter page:
- Vagabond
- Warrior
- Hero
- Bandit
- Astrologer
- Prophet
- Samurai
- Prisoner
- Confessor
- Wretch
All these classes are worth exploring but the only one that should be avoided by anyone but veteran players is the “Wretch”, a low-level character equipped with nothing but a loin cloth and a wooden club.
It’s intended as a blank slate for the most customisable options but early players may struggle to stay alive long enough to find better equipment to help protect themselves against enemies.
Where to buy a PS5
Elden Ring will be released on all Playstation and Xbox consoles as well as PC. We reviewed the game on a PS5 and it not only feels amazing to play, but looks the part to.
The PlayStation 5 is in high demand but if you’re on the market for a console upgrade, you’ve come to the right place.
We have a good idea of which retailers are most likely to restock Sony’s next-generation next, but you still have to be quick to grab one when they appear.
Find out how to get your hands on a PS5 with our buying guide.
We’ve got all the details on when the PS5 is going to be back in stock
‘Elden Ring’ is out now on PC
If you’re hoping to play Elden Ring an hour earlier in the UK, then the game is now available for PC players!
Why an hour earlier, you ask? This is due to PC servers in North America, the UK and Europe all going live simultaneously.
Console gamers will still have to wait an hour longer but rest assured, Elden Ring is finally here!
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