Grabbing the Brass (Elden) Ring
After years of nervous anticipation, major marketing, and even a pesky delay, FromSoftware’s Elden Ring finally launched on PlayStation, PC, and Xbox platforms on February 25. And, according to publisher Bandai Namco, the epic fantasy adventure has already left sales charts shaking, racking up an amazing 12 million sales in just over two weeks.
As per GSD data obtained by GamesIndustry.biz, the mighty figure cements Elden Ring as the most successful “new IP launch” since Ubisoft shooter The Division, which hit the shelves way back in 2016. Elden Ring‘s sales have been driven by its stellar critical response and mainstream advertising campaigns, as well as FromSoftware’s reputation for creating some of the finest and most challenging adventure titles in the genre.
“It’s astonishing to see just how many people have been playing Elden Ring,” said FromSoftware President Hidetaka Miyazaki in a press statement. “I’d like to extend our heartfelt thanks on behalf of the entire development team. Elden Ring is based on a mythological story written by George R. R. Martin. We hope players enjoy a high level of freedom when adventuring through its vast world, exploring its many secrets and facing up to its many threats. Thank you for your continued support.”
Of the 12 million sales, Bandai Namco notes that around one million of Elden Ring‘s sales come from Japan, with the remaining sales spread throughout the world. PC is believed to be leading game sales, followed by PS5, Xbox, and finally PS4. These numbers represent the biggest video game launch since the release of Activision’s Call of Duty Vanguard in November 2021, and sets an exceptionally high bar for 2022’s remaining releases to clear.
No one buys single-player games anymore.
Chris Moyse
Senior Editor – Chris has been playing video games since the 1980s. Former Saturday Night Slam Master. Graduated from Galaxy High with honors. Twitter: @ChrisxMoyse
