Are Elden Ring and Elder Scrolls related?
No, Elden Ring and the Elder Scrolls game series are completely separate intellectual properties with no direct canonical connections. But Elden Ring‘s director Hidetaka Miyazaki has acknowledged taking inspiration from Elder Scrolls‘ open world design. And there are some superficial similarities that cause fans to draw comparisons.
Elden Ring‘s Director Cited Elder Scrolls as an Influence
In various interviews, Hidetaka Miyazaki has mentioned The Elder Scrolls as one of several influential open world game series that inspired his vision for Elden Ring:
"These games encouraged us to go the open-world route…games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild, Red Dead Redemption 2, The Witcher 3, and The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."
So while not formally related, Elden Ring‘s vast medieval fantasy world with naturalistic environments and free-flowing quest lines owes some inspiration to Elden Scrolls pioneering that style of open world back in 2011 with Skyrim.
Shared Aspects of Open World Design
As open world action RPGs set in medieval sprawling landscapes, Elden Ring and Elder Scrolls share some structural and mechanical similarities in their sandboxes:
- Huge, detailed fantasy maps to explore at your own pace
- Dynamic day/night cycles and weather
- Mixed combat with melee, magic and ranged weapons
- Quest lines interwoven with environmental storytelling
- Crafting systems for weapons, spells and consumables
- Character customization and progression
However, their narratives, lore, art direction and specific mechanics differ substantially.
Superficial Myths and Symbols Appear Similar
Both games incorporate real-world myths and legends for inspiration. This leads to some visual overlapping with stereotypical fantasy elements:
- Dragons
- Norse and Celtic inspired designs
- Gothic, medieval architecture
But the in-game cultures, histories and meanings behind these elements are completely unrelated.
Fan Debate Over Open World Size
With Elden Ring promising a vast open world, fans have been keen to compare its scale to prior games like Skyrim. While estimates vary, a recent calculation found Elden Ring‘s map to be around 79 km2 compared to Skyrim‘s 37 km2.
So Elden Ring‘s Lands Between is likely larger and more dense with content than even Elder Scrolls‘ famously sprawling landscapes.
In summary, while Elden Ring has taken some cues from Elder Scrolls‘ open world template spanning back over a decade, the two game series have completely distinct identities in their narratives, lore and thematic tones. Any apparent similarities are surface-level at best.
