Did game developers hate Elden Ring?
No, game developers as a group did not hate Elden Ring. The idea comes from online debates after its 2022 release, when some developers posted that parts of its design, like the cryptic quests, minimal tutorials and dated menus, would have been "fixed" in their studios. Other developers pushed back, and the game went on to win many industry awards, including Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022.
What the criticism was about
- UI and menus: some developers pointed to small, text-heavy menus and unclear stat descriptions.
- No quest log: NPC questlines are easy to miss or break because the game doesn't track them.
- Little guidance: players are dropped into a huge world with few instructions.
These complaints were mostly about usability conventions that many modern open-world games follow.
Why others defended it
Supporters, including many developers, argued that Elden Ring's success showed how much players enjoy discovery. Not knowing where to go makes exploration feel personal, and the lack of map markers pushes you to look at the world. The debate became a wider discussion of whether the industry relies too much on hand-holding.
Its influence
Elden Ring sold tens of millions of copies, became FromSoftware's biggest hit and was followed by the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Many studios have since cited it when talking about open-world design with less hand-holding.
FAQ
Was Elden Ring criticized by developers over its UI?
Some developers criticized its menus and quest tracking on social media, but it wasn't an industry-wide view.
Is Elden Ring FromSoftware's most successful game?
Yes, it's their best-selling game by a wide margin.
Who published Elden Ring?
FromSoftware developed it and Bandai Namco published it. George R. R. Martin contributed to the world's backstory.
Is Elden Ring hard to run?
It's moderately demanding on PC. Most mid-range gaming PCs from recent years can run it well.