FromSoftware's games are not for the faint-hearted. With grueling boss fights and harsh consequences galore, Soulslike's litany of unspoken rules specific to Soulslike can be very unpleasant for newbies, well you'll be able to see what you're made of now that a dedicated PvP arena is coming. Elden Ring.
Despite being divisive, Elden Ring has kept up with the game's zeitgeist since its release in February 2022, and is finally getting a free content update.
Just one day before its release, FromSoftware announced the Colosseum update (opens in a new tab). The trailer shows off the arena-based combat and tells us that players can "battle for glory in new PvP modes." Now you can return to the Elden Ring and discover a less visible corner of The Lands Between, where the people are the real bad guys.
However, those who have worked their way through the other Souls games should find these PvP arenas familiar; FromSoftware seems quite fond of Gladiator, pitting its players against each other in general.
FromSoftware, with love
Christmas comes early in the Midlands. The Colosseum update will be free for all current Elden Ring owners, whether on Xbox Series X│S, PS5, or PC.
From the trailer, you can head to specific PvP arenas to battle with other players online. It seems to allow for 1v1 and 2v2 play, with characters in the trailer summoning allies to help them.
Of course, this is nothing new to longtime Souls fans. We first saw arenas introduced in Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition way back in 2012, when the PC version saw the introduction of the Battle of Stoicism gazebo.
Players first had to defeat a mini-boss, Artorias the Abysswalker, before being able to access the lookout. Similarly, Dark Souls 3 saw the return of PvP-specific areas in the form of the Hollow Arena, but you had to have either the Ringed City DLC or the Ashes of Ariandel Season Pass to enter the arena. Both Duel and Brawl modes gave players the choice between a simple 1v1 scenario or a chaotic six-person game.
Judging by FromSoftware's track record, and since this update is free, those wishing to go head-to-head in the Elden Ring arena will likely have to defeat another gigantic beast before proving themselves worthy of the Colosseum. You might want to get a new Elden Ring armor set; Something stinging happens on December 7th.