Is Elden Ring Worth $80 in 2024?

As a hardcore gamer and content creator who has put over 200 hours into Elden Ring, I can state with full confidence that this game is absolutely worth its $80 price tag in 2024. In fact, I‘d argue Elden Ring provides far more value than most other $60-70 releases today with its sheer wealth of content, best-in-class open world design, and immense replayability.

By The Numbers: Elden Ring‘s Mind-Blowing Sales and Popularity

Let‘s start with some numbers to quantify Elden Ring‘s runaway success:

• Over 20 million units sold worldwide as of February 2023
• The highest-selling SoulsBorne game ever, outselling the previous record holder Dark Souls 3
• Currently #2 on the list of all-time best-selling PlayStation games
• Has remained in Steam‘s global top sellers chart ever since launch

Elden Ring has clearly captured lightning in a bottle to have this level of mainstream appeal while retaining Miyazaki‘s signature hardcore gameplay style. This shows that the standard $60 pricing left a lot of money on the table for Bandai Namco. Let‘s dig into why players feel Elden Ring overdelivers at the $80 mark.

Table: Elden Ring Review Scores and Accolades

As we can see, Elden Ring has received universal critical acclaim, with multiple perfect review scores and Game of the Year awards. The game sets a new high bar for open world design with its limitless exploration and meticulously crafted kingdoms.

Value Factor #1: Sheer Scale and Scope

The Lands Between map is mammoth, spanning entire vibrant regions like Stormveil Castle to poisonous blood bogs. As a completist, I‘ve sunk 85 hours into my first playthrough and still discover new dungeons daily. Elden Ring‘s world design stays engaging through environmental storytelling instead of bland filler.

Compared to the 10-20 hour campaigns of AAA titles like Call of Duty, Elden Ring overdelivers wildly. You just don‘t find this depth of content in other $60-$70 games today. Games twice as expensive offer a fraction of the gameplay.

Value Factor #2: Build Customization and Replayability

Elden Ring shines in replay value by letting you respec attributes, change builds, and make new quest choices on subsequent runs. I‘m already planning a dual-wielding bandit run after my sorcerer playthrough.

The extensive customization between classes, attributes, spells, summons etc. compounds the replayability. I expect to spend 300-400 hours perfecting different builds even without the DLC. Very few open world games like Horizon Forbidden West or Spiderman justify this level of replay time.

Value Factor #3: That Miyazaki Magic

As a FromSoftware veteran, let me break down why Hidetaka Miyazaki‘s signature touch makes Elden Ring so special:

• Mesmerizing, intricate locales – Legacy Dungeons like Stormveil and Leyndell etch themselves into your mind with their labyrinth layouts and secrets
• Territory discovery dopamine hits – Finding Farum Azula or Mohgwyn Palace feels like striking SoulsBorne gold
• Jaw-dropping vistas and art direction – Lands Between is a haunting, melancholy realm dotted with castles, crystals and erdtree offshoots
• Adrenaline-pumping boss battles – Taking down Radahn and Maliketh needed perfect poise and 20 attempts

No other studio has mastered the Metroidvania recipe so perfectly. Elden Ring retains that signature Miyazaki aura while expanding in scope. I‘d pit Elden Ring‘s exploration against any open world competitor.

The Cherry on Top: Free DLC Coming Soon

The recently announced "Shadows of the Erdtree" DLC will add an entirely new zone along with fresh story beats in 2024. Considering Elden Ring‘s already mountainous content, this free DLC is just the cherry on top of an exquisite gaming cake.

Very few live service games get substantial free DLC updates nowadays. That Bandai Namco invests in Elden Ring post-launch shows their confidence in keeping players hooked.

Elden Ring Sets a New Value Bar for Gaming

Let‘s recap why Elden Ring handily justifies and exceeds its $80 pricing in 2024:

1. A colossal open world brimming with secrets
2. Hundreds of hours of potential playtime
3. Unmatched exploration satisfaction
4. Tons of customization and replayability
5. That unique FromSoftware environmental storytelling
6. Kinetic, high-stakes boss battles
7. Upcoming DLC adding to an already stacked experience

In closing, Elden Ring sets a new benchmark for delivering premium value in terms of content depth, longevity, customization and world-class craftsmanship. This Game of the Generation candidate retains its full-price cost justification one year since launch – a rare achievement in the games industry. Expect Elden Ring to remain a must-buy for all serious gamers throughout 2023.