Does Elden Ring have an open world?

Official gameplay for FromSoftware's Elden Ring was revealed during Summer Games Fest 2021, providing a glimpse at the fantasy world from the creative minds of Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Yes, Elden Ring does have an open world. And it looks massive.

In the trailer, an unknown character narrates across various landscapes that showcase the dark fantasy setting. She tells us that the Golden Order is "broken to its core," and from there we see a character on horseback riding through large swaths of terrain. The character, presumably the protagonist, summons the horse, perhaps implying that the horse will be an always-available companion.

Related: What Consoles will Elden Ring Release On?

And the horse appears necessary, as the knight travels through forests, across a split cliff, and through the legs of a gigantic monster with a large bell dangling from its underbelly. These are just a few of the shots shown from the Elden Ring trailer, but one thing's for sure: World = big. Player = small.

While most FromSoftware games are indeed open world with areas that connect to one another, Elden Ring aims expand to the scope of what players once thought was large. In a 2019 interview with IGN, Miyazaki said that Elden Ring includes larger, more open environments, and that the extensive world is just the base of Elden Ring's gameplay. The world mechanics, he said, are "designed with that type of environment in mind."

Little is known about the game's story, but Elden Ring is an action role-playing game set in a dark fantasy world, written by FromSoftware veteran Hidetaka Miyazaki and the A Song of Ice and Fire author George R. R. Martin. Players can expect to explore dungeons, defeat terrifying bosses, and engage in the familiar live-die-repeat mechanics that are all true to the From Software formula—all of which is built upon a much grander scale.

Elden Ring is expected to release on January 21, 2022. Until then, be sure to check with Pro Game Guides.