Elden Ring received widespread acclaim following its release. Critically, the game achieved “universal acclaim” according to review aggregator Metacritic. It was lauded for its expansive open world, with reviewers praising the exploration mechanics, drawing favorable comparisons to “The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild.” Reviewers also appreciated the game’s challenging combat, which offered a variety of options for engaging enemies while maintaining a high level of difficulty. Fast travel and the placement of checkpoints were highlighted as improvements that made the game more approachable.
In terms of sales, Elden Ring was exceptionally successful, selling 13.4 million copies worldwide by the end of March 2022 and reaching 20 million sales by February 2023. It became the fastest-selling Bandai Namco game of all time and ranked among the best-selling games in various regions in 2022.
Regarding accolades, Elden Ring won numerous awards and was recognized as Game of the Year for 2022 by several publications, including Ars Technica, Destructoid, EGM, Eurogamer, Game Informer, GamesRadar+, GameSpot, IGN, PC Gamer, and Polygon. At the British Academy Games Awards in 2023, it received nominations in multiple categories, winning for Multiplayer and Original Property. Additionally, at the D.I.C.E. Awards in 2023, it won Game of the Year, Role-Playing Game of the Year, and Outstanding Achievement in Game Design and Game Direction, among others.