Elden Ring delayed until February 2022, closed beta test announced

The wait for Elden Ring is going to be a bit longer. Earlier today, developer From Software and publisher Bandai Namco announced that Elden Ring has been delayed. Indeed, not even the mighty Souls-like could join its hollow brethren of other games that got pushed past their release dates. But don’t despair too much, friends — you may be able to play it sooner than you think. Elden Ring will only take a month longer, and will release on February 25, 2022, and before that there will be a closed beta test next month.

Dozens of games have seen delays this past year, so Elden Ring is in good company. The news was announced earlier today via Twitter message. In a note to those anxiously waiting, the Elden Ring team wrote that the “depth & strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations.” I’m not sure if that’s a legitimate reason or a humble brag, but here we are. The team thanked fans for their “trust & patience” before revealing the closed network test for next month.

The Elden Ring closed beta test will kick off on November 12. Sadly, there are no options for the PC platform at this time. If you have a console, though, you’ll be able to register to take part in the network test. The test will also have Cross-play multiplayer enabled. Below are the times:

• November 12: 6 AM ET to 9 AM ET
• November 13: 10 PM ET to 1 AM ET and 2 PM ET to 5 PM ET
• November 14: 6 AM ET to 9 AM ET
• November 15: 10 PM ET to 1 AM ET

Important message:

ELDEN RING will release on Feb 25, 2022, as the depth & strategic freedom of the game exceeded initial expectations. Thank you for your trust & patience. We look forward to seeing you experience the game in the Closed Network Test in Nov.

The #ELDENRING Team

— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) October 18, 2021

February is going to be rough

I’ve said it before, but February 2022 is going to be a hell of a month. With Elden Ring‘s new release date, it’ll contend with the likes of Dying Light 2, Horizon Forbidden West, Sifu, Destiny 2: The Witch Queen, and the Saints Row reboot. I’m going to need a hyperbolic time chamber next year.