Director Hidetaka Miyazaki has been very clear that Elden Ring isn't a sequel or prequel to Dark Souls, but instead takes place within its own separate universe. As with most games by Miyazaki, however, there are nods to his previous projects and recurring elements from other games.
Some of these, like the NPC Patches appearing in the game, or the latest iteration of the Moonlight Greatsword, have been widely-noted and appreciated by players. Alongside references to other FromSoftware games and Berserk, however, there are more subtle nods and references to Dark Souls in the game, that even some fans of the series might miss.
7 Iron Fist Alexander Calls Familiar NPCs To Mind
One of the more popular NPCs in Elden Ring is Iron Fist Alexander, a Warrior Jar that the player character encounters numerous times throughout their quest. His popularity is well-founded, because his warrior nature, polite, exuberant, and comedic way of speaking, and tendency to be caught in amusing predicaments all ring true for two popular Dark Souls NPCs.
Siegmeyer and Siegward of Catarina, nicknamed the "Onion Knights" by fans, are NPCs who appear in Dark Souls I and Dark Souls III. Strangely-armored knights from the Land of Catarina, they are jovial and friendly NPCs with hefty strings of bad luck, who fight alongside their protagonists numerous times. All of this likens them to Alexander, even if he is not a direct copy.
6 The Omenkiller References A Notorious Boss
One of the most hated bosses in Dark Souls is the Capra Demon. A tall, bull-headed demon wielding a pair of butcher blades, the Capra Demon isn't so much hated for his abilities, but for the fact that the player fights it in a tightly enclosed space, alongside a pair of dogs who split the player's attention and overwhelm them with relentless aggression.
To the relief of many, the Capra Demon itself doesn't appear in Elden Ring, but a similar boss does. The Omenkiller, fought in the Albinauric Village, wears a horned helm, wields a pair of cleavers, and has a pair of hunting dogs alongside him. Mercifully, this time he is fought in a wide-open space, allowing players to get some semblance of revenge.
5 Caelid Contains References To The Series' Finale Boss
The Ringed City is the last DLC for Dark Souls III, and consequently the final piece of content for the entire series. Its climactic boss fight against the player's once-ally Slave Knight Gael is considered one for the ages by fans, warmly recognized as a fitting and epic conclusion to one of gaming's more iconic franchises.
As such, Gael gets a couple of references in Elden Ring, primarily in the Caelid area. In the most obvious, the castle Fort Gael and its nearby cave are both named for him. More subtly, other NPCs and enemies tied to the region wear hooded helmets that hearken back to the distinctive headwear the Slave Knight wore, gently evoking his memory in players of Dark Souls III.
4 Dragons Weaponize Their Dark Souls Weakness
The lore regarding the Everlasting Stone Dragons had some variations and retcons across the Dark Souls series – not least with the supposedly extinct race having a great many surviving members – but one thing always remained consistent: they were heavily vulnerable to Lightning damage.
Dragons are different in Elden Ring. For one, they are a fully alive species and powerful allies of Marika's empire and the Golden Order. In another twist, a reversal that serves as a nod to Dark Souls, they actually often make use of Lightning damage against their enemies, no longer vulnerable to it.
3 Rogier Gives A Nod To Opening Cutscenes
One of the more subtle and inconsequential references to the Dark Souls series comes from a simple, two-word phrase that the Sorcerer Rogier says in passing. "Yes, indeed," is a phrase that has become a meme in the Dark Souls community after being used in the opening cutscene for two of the games, deliberately included in Dark Souls III as a reference to the first game in the series.
It is easy to miss, but the NPC Sorcerer Rogier can utter the phrase in conversation if asked about his friendship with D, Hunter of the Dead. Despite being a throwaway line in an optional conversation, fans of the previous series were quick to pick up on its inclusion.
2 The Valiant Gargoyles Echo An Iconic Dark Souls Boss
One of the most fondly-remembered boss encounters in Dark Souls is the clash with a pair of Bell Gargoyles atop the church in the Undead Parish. Serving as one of the hardest initial boss encounters, many players find it to be a thrilling and tense battle that signposts how epic the series can get.
In the Siofra River Aqueduct in Elden Ring's underground, there is a similar boss fight. The player engages one Valiant Gargoyle, and once they do enough damage to it, another shows up to come to its ally's aid. However, this encounter is not looked upon as fondly, being viewed by some as unfair for their large health pools, high damage, and punishing movesets.
1 A Blind NPC Named Irina Appears In Both
Irina of Carim is an NPC from Dark Souls III, a blind woman seeking to become a Firekeeper who the player can help, and who can become one of the best teachers of Miracles in the entire game. In Elden Ring, a brief questline in the Weeping Peninsula introduces Irina of Morne.
Elden Ring's Irina is a blind woman with unclear ties to the NPC Hyetta, who is attempting to become a Finger Maiden. Although Elden Ring's Irina is much less significant than the one in Dark Souls III, the similarity is clear. Another subtle tie indicates that the resemblance is intentional: in Dark Souls III, Irina's protector wears the Morne armor set, the same name as Irina's home in Elden Ring.