Why speedrunning will be the best part of Elden Ring’s launch
FromSoftware’s next entry in the Souls-like genre is upon us, but finally being able to play through the grimdark world of Elden Ring won’t even be the best part of its launch.
Speedrunning: The art of completing video games as fast as possible. Whether the game is Super Mario Bros. (1985) or Dying Light 2 (2022), you’d be hard-pressed to find a video game that doesn’t have its own community of speedrunners.
That’s because watching speedrunners is like watching the Olympics, especially when witnessing a world record run. You’re watching someone who is the best at what they do pull off incredible feats.
While most speedruns are interesting in their own rights, speedruns of FromSoftware games are some of the most exhilarating content you can find on the internet. Souls games take an absurd amount of skill, precision, and determination that most other speedruns don’t.
You won’t want to miss Elden Ring’s speedruns
Speedruns are captivating, but have you ever wondered how certain mechanics or skips are discovered? If you’ve seen a world record Sekiro or Ocarina of Time run, there’s a lot of weirdness that’s often met with comments like, “How in the world did someone discover this?”
Sure, you can go watch a video essay on the history of a run, but essays don’t come close to actually being there when routes are discovered. That’s why I urge you to find a speedrunner at Elden Ring’s launch. There’s nothing like watching the optimal route for a speed run develop in real-time.
A game’s launch is often the most competitive time for its speedrun, as well. When a game gets up in years, it’s rare that the world record will change hands as often as it did during a game’s launch. Your favorite runner could set three or four records in the first week, only for them to get continuously stolen by a plethora of runners.
But why Elden Ring? Why not any other game launching in 2022? It’s because Dark Souls games take an inherent amount of skill to master, anyway. Players aren’t only looking for skips, but they’re perfecting the timing of dodges. They’re learning how to min/max equipment and which weapons they should use. They’re coming up with movement tech that gets them from point A to point B the fastest.
Above is a taste of what Elden Ring speedruns will be like. If you want to get in on the action but aren’t sure who to watch, check out LilAggy, Distortion2, Squillakilla, TheHappyHob, and Faraaz Khan. As well, keep an eye on the official Elden Ring leaderboards over at Speedrun.com
Being the fastest isn’t the whole point
From SoftwareOn top of those trying to beat Elden Ring as fast as possible, there will simultaneously be a group of players trying to beat the game without taking a single hit. Streamers won’t complete any damageless runs within the first week, or even month of the game’s release, but the progression is worth tuning in for.
Players will also compete to see who can be the first to beat Elden Ring under other ridiculous conditions (such as Racing to beat the game barehanded or with only a dagger). Some insane runners will even attempt to beat the game without leveling up a single time.
Of course, these runs will still be interesting to watch even if you stumble upon them in a couple of years. Heck, the world’s first sub-hour run of Super Mario Odyssey is still an incredible thrill ride to watch despite the current world record being half as long.
But watching Elden Ring runs from the start is like witnessing the 1970 Space Race. You get to witness firsts you would only hear of otherwise. Runners make leaps and bounds towards their goals before they start attempting to shave off seconds from their run.
From SoftwareSo, while Elden Ring expands the Souls-like genre and makes strides of its own, I urge you not to miss this opportunity. Elden Ring’s launch will be historic not only for Soulsborne runners, but for the entire speedrunning community.
For more Elden Ring, check out Dexerto’s hands-on gameplay preview.