How to Play Co-op and Multiplayer in Elden Ring

The next major game by renowned developer From Software was released today. Elden Ring. Titles like Dark SoulsAnd Sekiro worked with “Game of Thrones” author George RR Martin to bring Elden Ring to life, and I’ve been lucky enough to spend a bunch of time with the game over the last week. While I’ll be bringing you an in-depth feature later today breaking down some tips and tricks for getting up to speed as you explore the Banished Lands, I also wanted to focus on one part of the experience that can really change the way you play. It’s cooperative and competitive multiplayer.

You can see that while Elden RingWhile the game can be enjoyed alone, you have a variety of multiplayer options available that will make it easier (or harder) for you. The game allows you to summon players to join you for tough boss fights, exploration of dungeons, or head-tohead battles. Like many of the game’s mechanics, the co-op and multiplayer system can be a bit opaque and not the most user-friendly experience, so I thought now would be a great time to break down how it works, what you’ll need to use it, and how the game refers to it.

Who’s Who

The first thing we’ll need to get into is how the game refers to the players and their roles. The HostThe host of the event is literally the only person responsible. They can reach out to an advocate if they need help. AllyYou can use them to either help defeat bosses or enemies, or even to fight other players in PvP. These players are known as Adversaries and they come in two varieties, one that is invited in to duel and one that invades in an attempt to spoil the Host’s fun.

How Summoning Mechanic works

As you explore the world of Elden Ring, you’ll likely notice small stone carvings that look like a person attached to a crescent-shaped symbol. This is an example of a Martyr EffigyThey indicate you’re in an area that allows you to summon players or, in some cases, AI-controlled NPCs. To activate the Effigy, simply interact with the one you are interested in using the Y key. This will allow for summoning. To see the summoning signs that other players have left there, you’ll need to use a craftable item called a Furlcalling Finger Remedy More information on this below. You can also see Summon Signs near Effigy.

Important: You can have greater control of who can access your Summon Sign. matchmaking password in the “Multiplayer” tab in the menu. Just create a password, share it with the friend (or friends) you want to play with, and you’ll know that theirs are the only signs that you’ll be seeing.

The Items You’ll Need

Online co-op and competitive play in Elden Ring isn’t as simple as some games, but it’s been made quite a bit easier compared to the Dark Souls games. Still, you’ll need to find or craft some items to get in on the fun. Here’s what you’ll need to get in on the action.

Tarnished’s Furled Finger – This allows you to put down a Summon Sign in a specific place (such as outside a boss door) for anyone to summon you into their game for co-op help.

Small Golden Effigy – Send a cooperative Summon Sign to any active Summoning Pools in the vicinity.

Furlcalling Finger Remedy – As mentioned above, this item allows you to see any Summon Signs on the ground in your area. While this isn’t an infinite use item like the Furled Finger and Golden Effigy, you can easily craft one of these in the Crafting Menu using two of the basic flowers you’ll find all over the starting area.

Duelist Furled Finger – This create a Summon Sign for competitive PvP multiplayer.

Bloody Finger – Want to invade another player’s world? You can use one of these, but you’ll need to craft a new one once you’ve returned to your own world. You also won’t get it until a few (or more!) It will take you hours to complete the game.

Red Effigy in Small Sizes – Send a competitive Summon Sign to any active Summoning Pools in the vicinity.

There you go, Elden Ring’s co-op and competitive multiplayer in a nutshell. While it’s likely that only some players choose to try the competitive multiplayer offerings, cooperative multiplayer will surely be a big part of the Elden RingExperience is a key factor in the success of many players. Speaking directly from the experience of Dark SoulsIn games, I spend a lot of time just waiting at boss doors to see if other players need my help. This is in return for XP, and the warm fuzzy feeling that comes with helping another man.