Elden Ring is now one of the top 10 bestselling games of all time in the U.S.

By Jesse Lennox Published July 15, 2022

Mat Piscatella of The NPD Group has revealed that Elden Ring is now one of the top 10 bestselling premium games of all time in the U.S. market for dollar sales.

https://twitter.com/MatPiscatella/status/1547928028214267907

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Elden Ring is FromSoftware’s breakout hit after building a niche but passionate audience with its Dark Souls trilogy, Bloodborne, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. The studio made a name for itself with these tough but fair action-RPGs that featured cryptic stories, intricate level design, innovative combat and death systems, and challenging boss encounters. Elden Ring took the formula of those previous titles and expanded it into a massive open world that has been universally acclaimed by critics and players alike.

Elden Ring had already become the bestselling game in the last 12 months within two months of launch, and has now become one of the top 10 bestselling premium games of all time in the U.S. It also managed to top the bestselling games list for the month of June, which marks the fourth time it has reached the No. 1 spot in the five months since launch. Elden Ring remains the bestselling game of 2022 so far.

According to the latest NPD report, overall spending on games for June dropped 11% compared to last year, and the first half of 2022 saw a 10% total decline in consumer spending, with only subscription serves showing year-over-year growth.

Elden Ring‘s success wasn’t a surprise, but just how successful it has become could never have been predicted. FromSoftware titles have been selling better with each release, but the jump from Sekiro to Elden Ring is almost unbelievable. Within its first two months on sale, it already sold more than Call of Duty: Vanguard, which was the bestselling game of 2021 and had been on the market for over twice as long.

This is a monumental accomplishment for a new IP from a studio previously known for making games too difficult for a wide audience.

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Jesse Lennox has been a writer at Digital Trends for over four years and has no plans of stopping. He covers all things…

Gaming

How to find and use the Prayer Room Key in Shadow of the Erdtree

Multiple players look out over a landscape with the Elden Ring co-op mod.

Calling Shadow of the Erdtree a DLC is kind of misleading when you actually enter the Land of Shadow and see just how massive this new region is. The base game was already massive, and this feels like another game about half its size was plopped into the world, with bosses, weapons, dungeons, and secrets all included. Among all the hidden areas and items, the most mysterious include the Prayer Room and the Prayer Room Key. Players may stumble upon one or the other -- most likely neither -- but almost certainly not both without some help. If you're interested in the lore of the game in particular, you will want to see what's hidden behind this very secluded door.

Note: This article contains minor spoilers for bosses and NPCs in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Where to find the Prayer Room Key

Gaming

Elden Ring’s pre-Shadow of the Erdtree patch makes its final boss much easier

An Elden Ring player sits on their horse and looks out at a castle ahead.

Publisher Bandai Namco has released the patch notes for the big pre-Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree update, and while a lot of the changes were expected, it features some small but exciting additions.

The most noteworthy change in version 1.12, buried in the "New inventory features" section, is the new ability to summon your steed Torrent in the final boss battle. Without spoiling anything, not only does the final battle come right after another equally difficult boss, but you'll need to do a lot of sprinting to avoid its attacks. Being able to use your trusty steed will make this a lot easier. And, quite frankly, you'll need all the help you can get when it comes to most boss battles.

Gaming

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is already wiping the floor with me

Elden Ring gameplay

Elden Ring was unanimously 2022’s Game of the Year. While many other fantastic games were released throughout the year, Elden Ring shut down all competition when it dropped in early March. It swept at awards shows and even landed a Game of the Year spot here on Digital Trends. It was the undisputed champ. Two years later, it’s now getting the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. If a DLC ever had a chance at winning the top prize at The Game Awards, it could be this one.

Ahead of its June 21 release, I spent three hours with a hands-on preview of Shadow of the Erdtree. While it doesn’t offer anything drastically different from the base game, it’s still more of the same Elden Ring you love. It has an excellent atmosphere, fun exploration, and difficult bosses. More of the same isn’t a bad thing when that “same” is as beloved as this.
Return to the Lands Between
For those looking to pop in right on June 21, Bandai Namco clarified that players will need to have already beaten the bosses Starscourage Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood in order to access the expansion. Additionally, there are over 100 new weapons, some of which are not found in the base game.