George R.R. Martin brings “political intrigue” to video game Elden Ring
By Dan Selcke
FromSoftware explains what contributions Game of Thrones creator George R.R. Martin made to its new video game Elden Ring.
Elden Ring, the newest game from acclaimed developer FromSoftware, sees the studio returning the medieval fantasy style it used in games like Dark Souls. You play as Tarnished, who is coming back to the home of their ancestors, the Lands Between. The game takes place in the ruinous aftermath of the Shattering, a war sparked by the powerful Elden Ring.
It sounds like some grade-A high fantasy stuff, and to help flesh out the backstory, FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki hired none other than A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, spokesperson Yasuhiro Kitao explained exactly what Martin’s role was in shaping this game.
“George R.R. Martin wrote the original mythos for this game,” Kitao said through a translator. “He created a backstory or a history that takes place many, many years before the events of the game itself, and he wrote this in collaboration with Miyazaki. They consulted and they discussed and they exchanged ideas, but George Martin was the spearhead of that writing process initially.”
As anyone who’s read Martin’s prequel book Fire & Blood can tell you that Martin loves mythology and backstory — fans waiting for The Winds of Winter these past 10 years might even argue that he loves it more than writing the story he has in front of him. In any case, it makes him a good fit for this Elden Ring gig. “Once that original mythos was complete, George R.R. Martin was kind enough to leave that in our hands, so to speak, and to do with that what we will,” Kitao continued.
"George provided this lineage or these character bloodlines and, in true George fashion, he created a lot of political intrigue and a lot of these familial ties that shaped a lot of our characters in the game world currently as it stands. It was a really interesting process, and it felt unrestricting despite him having written this key piece."
It sounds like Martin is bringing a bit of the gamesmanship that made Game of Thrones so popular to Elden Ring.
Elden Ring comes out on January 21, 2022 on PlayStation and Xbox consoles.
Next. Ranking all 11 sample chapters from The Winds of Winter. dark
To stay up to date on everything fantasy, science fiction, and WiC, follow our all-encompassing Facebook page and sign up for our exclusive newsletter.
Get HBO, Starz, Showtime and MORE for FREE with a no-risk, 7-day free trial of Amazon Channels