Bandai Namco revealed the new fantasy-action RPG Elden Ring has sold 12 million copies, positioning it as an enormous commercial success -- and the start of a fresh franchise.
Elden Ring, the open-world title developed by FromSoftware with narrative work by George R.R. Martin, was released on Feb. 25 to massive critical and commercial acclaim. According to its publisher, that success has translated into the potential for follow-ups. Bandai Namco seems optimistic about the future of the notoriously difficult Elden Ring, citing its exceptional sales as a "fantastic start for the new franchise."
Bandai Namco President and CEO Yasuo Miyakawa credits much of the game's success to its creators, particularly Martin and director Hidetaka Miyazaki, as well as its committed fanbase. "I would like to use this opportunity to give my thanks to all our fans who have brought Elden Ring into their gaming life," Miyakawa said. "I am very proud to have been involved in bringing such a wonderful and fantastic game to life with FromSoftware, under the guidance of Director Miyazaki, and with George R. R. Martin." Bandai Namco's previous publishing work with FromSoftware and Miyazaki led to the extraordinarily popular Dark Souls, which spawned two sequels, five DLCs, a handful of remasters and five graphic novels.
Bandai Namco has yet to announce details about how, exactly, it intends to expand on the Elden Ring franchise, but the company promised that any follow-ups will be given plenty of care and attention. "Much effort was placed into creating Elden Ring in order to exceed the expectations of our fans worldwide. With a similar goal, we will continue our efforts in expanding the brand beyond the game itself and into everyone’s daily life," Miyakawa added.
Whether audiences should expect a sequel, a prequel, DLC, a spinoff or any other significant expansion isn't currently clear. What is certain, though, is that Bandai Namco is very satisfied with the success of Elden Ring and has every intention of expanding on the title with further media and follow-ups.
Players who don't yet count themselves among the 12 million people who have purchased Elden Ring can play the start of the new franchise on PlayStation 4 and 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S and Microsoft Windows.
Source: Bandai Namco