Elden Ring delayed to February, network test announced

FromSoftware’s Elden Ring will be released on Feb. 25, 2022, developer and publisher Bandai Namco announced Monday. That’s a monthlong delay for the open-world action-RPG game, which was previously slated to launch in January.

On Twitter, the official Elden Ring account said that “the depth [and] strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations,” leading to its delay.

“Please accept our sincere apologies for keeping you waiting,” FromSoftware said on its official Twitter account. “Your patience and understanding mean a great deal to us.”

To soften the pain of Elden Ring’s delay, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco announced a closed network test of the game’s multiplayer component that will run Nov. 12-14. Interested players can sign up for the beta test before Nov. 1 at the game’s website to take part.

Bandai Namco says that players who are selected for the closed network test will be able to experience the opening hours of Elden Ring during the following dates and times:

• Nov. 12: 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. PST
• Nov. 12: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. PST
• Nov. 13: 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. PST
• Nov. 14: 3 a.m. to 6 a.m. PST
• Nov. 14: 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. PST

Elden Ring was originally announced in June 2019 at E3. The fantasy action-role-playing game is a collaboration between FromSoftware and A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin, and sends players to the Lands Between as a Tarnished to restore the titular Elden Ring and become the region’s new lord. For more on the game, check out Polygon’s Elden Ring preview. Elden Ring is coming to PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.