One of the most recognizable areas of Elden Ring looked quite different when it first appeared earlier this year, as Bandai Namco quietly tweaked the game after release.
Leyndell, a large fortress city and one of the final areas of the Elden Ring, included different enemies and items in version 1.0 of the game. By reading an unpatched PS5 disc copy of the game, YouTuber Sekiro Dubi (opens in a new tab) was able to play it. first iteration and spot some of the major changes that were made via post-release updates (thanks, VG247 (opens in a new tab)).
Obviously, the enemies in the area are totally different. Instead of running into Leyndell Knights all over town, you'll find it populated by enemy Banished Knights. Further into town, the usual soldiers you'd expect to see are also missing and replaced by a few back-to-back Erdtree avatars.
The exchange suggests that this original version of Leyndell was set earlier in the Elden Ring timeline, before the Leyndell garrison recaptured the city from invading forces. Some knights also seem to pay homage to Gransax, the huge petrified dragon in the middle of the city.
Jump in the timeline
The time lapse also means that the Oracle Envoys, the round and trumpet enemies you find around town, are nowhere to be found. As Sekiro Dubi notes, his in-game description states that he will appear and play his flutes "to herald the arrival of a new god or age". It seems that this version of Leyndell is set in a time that hasn't happened yet.
Less significantly, the Lower Capital Church was also originally called the Lower Capital Chapel and did not include the bed where you can now find Lionel's four-piece armor set. Although Leyndell's main demigod, Morgott, King Omen is called Morgott, Prince of Omen in this early version. This could suggest a change in tradition or simply a change in translation.
Elden Ring has received several inconspicuous changes since its release earlier this year. Especially its map, which has undergone many secret modifications. Post-release patches added map details, removed objects, and changed their visuals to better represent the world of the Elden Ring.