A reader reacts against the current popularity of Elden Ring and complains that mainstream video games, and music, have become too safe and familiar.
I think I’ll receive a lot of flak and venom for this, but I’ll come out and say it: Elden Ring is the Ed Sheeran of video games. Yes, you read that correctly. Elden Ring receives all the popularity and adulation, just like the latest Ed Sheeran song, but to me neither of them do anything I haven’t seen or heard time and time again.
I guess this is why the indie scenes are so tempting, because they offer the sustenance video games and music sorely need. Now regardless of my criticisms here, I stress that I respect that many people enjoy both Elden Ring and Ed Sheeran. After all, these bugbears are my own and it’s my weakness that I can’t get along with either of them as many of you do; yet I want to impart my feelings in this diatribe for you to scour and react as you please.
First of all, I know it’s unfair to single out Ed Sheeran, he is only a microcosm of the mainstream music industry’s woeful lack of imagination and verve, but this issue has existed for many years. Last time I thought mainstream music was any good was in the early 00s, which may explain how old I am.
Elden Ring meanwhile, is a FromSoftware game that is open world and stuffed with familiar Dark Souls ingredients. Diligence and death are constants in these games. The challenges are Herculean and besting them summons a sense of satisfaction that’s pretty rare in games, but the formula birthed from the Souls-like refuses to change despite Elden Ring’s ginormous open world and some of the qualities that structure brings to the fore.
Where I think this whole comparison is nestled is within the insane fandoms. All I hear is Elden Ring this and that and it’s being regarded as the undisputed Game of the Year – be damned anything else that’s come out in 2022. This rattles my tail because it’s only March and because the groundswell of hype is so huge for Elden Ring; gamers will say it’s the best game to come out since Zelda: Breath Of The Wild.
In my opinion, I think if one game stands head and shoulders above the rest in a particular year then that year in video games may not have been as great as lauded, but c’mon 2017 was an amazing year for video games.
This attitude of placing one game above the rest suggests we aren’t concerned about the wider possibilities video games can offer us. The parameters we’re funnelled into as mainstream video game consumers encourages us to want more of what we already loved before, so publishers manipulate that and some provide us with lesser experiences because they know we’ll pay up.
Another ding concerning Elden Ring is we’ll likely see more copycats and we’ll be infested with them because that’s where the money is. Were it not for the need to make money the industry would ceaselessly blossom with all manner of huge, diverse and forward-thinking experiences, but now that’s mostly a pipedream. Those PlayStation 2/Xbox/GameCube days ain’t comin back, y’all.
I’ll go out on a limb and say gamers and people in general don’t want true change, which is reflected in our consumerist habits. Maybe this is steered by the media, but what isn’t a mistake is this is a personal umbrage I have towards extreme and overwhelmingly positive reactions rather than a dislike of these games.
Moreover, it’s the sense that people in general aren’t open to a wider assortment of entertainment and are steered by what’s invading their senses the most. If you’re reading and you are attracted to mainstream stuff exclusively then you really are missing out on a ton. I graciously recommend you find new experiences that will enrich you.
By reader Anon
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