Will starting a new game in Elden Ring delete everything?
The short answer—no. However, starting a brand new Elden Ring adventure isn‘t without its caveats. Read on as we analyze what exactly carries over and what resets when beginning a new Journey.
What Gets Reset in a New Game
While most player progress stays intact, Elden Ring does reset the following when kicking off a new game:
- Discovered Sites of Grace and Great Runes need finding again
- Keys, key items for sequence breaks are removed
- Doors opened with Stonesword Keys will close
- World state reverts as if playing for the first time
So all previously lit Sites of Grace and activated Great Runes are gone. The lands between will rearrange as well—enemies, loot, and even entire zones resetting to their default states.
The World Resets, But Your Strength Doesn‘t
Crucially, your character keeps all previously gained levels, stats, weapons, spells, upgrades, combat skills and more. The enemies reset, but your hero does not.
As a veteran who has completed multiple playthroughs, I often restart games at RL1 (Run Level 1) without leveling up once just to challenge myself against formidable early game bosses with endgame gear.
So while the world loses progress, your built up strength persists, letting you breeze through familiar content despite reset zones and enemies.
What Carries Over Into a New Game
- Character level, stats, attributes
- Weapons, gear, armor, spells, incantations
- Weapon upgrades and reinforcement
- Ashes of War, combat skills
- Sacred Flask upgrades
- Unlocked items, consumables, crafting materials
- Gestures, cosmetics, keepsakes
With the above in place, starting fresh isn‘t entirely resetting from zero. Your hero‘s power continues growing, almost like an accelerated New Game+ without the added difficulty spikes.
In fact, speedrun leaderboards demonstrate this well—veterans grinding gear for days before speeding to the end boss in under an hour on a new file. Knowledge and equipment get retained even if the world resets.
Should You Start a New Game in Elden Ring?
That depends! Here are reasons you may or may not want to:
Why Start Afresh
- Replay with a new build ( magic, ranged, etc. )
- Challenge yourself at low levels despite endgame strength
- Discover new quests, secrets, endings
- Have an easier early game with upgraded weapons
- Experience the opening areas again
I‘ve created multiple characters to roleplay certain themes. My faith build seeks the most pious ending, while my hero of Zamor goes on a vengeance quest. Others speedrun any% attempts racing to the finish.
Why Not
- Tedious replays with less satisfaction
- Prefer New Game+ and continued progression
- One main save with everything completed
- Collecting all legendary armaments once is enough
Not everyone enjoys repeating 100 hour games multiple times. And your first blind playthrough often offers the most memorable moments that diminish on subsequent tries.
Elden Ring New Game FAQs
Here are answers to common questions around starting over:
How many new games can I create? There is no limit. Feel free to start as many new Journey 1 games as desired.
What is the maximum NG+ level? Journey 8 ends the difficulty spikes. But you can play endlessly beyond.
Can I replay specific chapters? Yes, the Chapter Select menu lets you replay chapters without fully resetting.
Do I lose my old save? No, existing saves are never overwritten when starting fresh.
The Takeaway on New Games in Elden Ring
While the Lands Between reset and your hero keeps all progression, the world state reverts back to its initial launch configuration. Use Chapter Select to replay chunks without resetting as much. And remember, only your equipment and upgrades carry over, not key items, keys, or site progress.
Whether it‘s roleplaying new builds or speedrunning records, starting a new game lets veterans replay comfortably. I hope this guide clears up what exactly you keep and lose when beginning another Journey 1!
