The latest addition to FromSoftware's gaming catalog is the open-world dark fantasy title Elden Ring, which follows in the footsteps of previous Soulsborne titles--except that it was designed around world-building by famous fantasy author George R.R. Martin. Martin's work on Elden Ring has received a good deal of acclaim from fans and critics alike, and one of his fellow fantasy writers has expressed a desire to follow in his footsteps. Now, Mistborn author Brandon Sanderson seems to have been approached by Bandai Namco about the possibility of working together.
Mistborn is a series of books that draw inspiration from the heroic fantasy and heist genres. Although the books have yet to get a screen or proper video game adaptation, Mistborn has crossed with Fortnite in the past. Sanderson himself is a known gamer who has expressed enthusiasm at the idea of working on a video game the way Martin did.
During a recent live stream, Sanderson unboxed an enormous parcel from Bandai Namco and revealed it to be a pack of Elden Ring-themed goodies. The parcel included a sword, cloak, a hand-burned piece of lore, and other merchandise themed after the game. It also featured a note from Bandai Namco which Sanderson reports means that the company is interested in "perhaps doing something together," though he declined to go into detail on stream. This may indicate that Bandai Namco is planning to pursue a similar collaboration to the one with Martin for Elden Ring.
Sanderson has previously announced his frustration with FromSoftware's decision to work with Martin instead of him, as Martin is not particularly experienced with or informed on video games. Meanwhile, Sanderson greatly enjoys gaming and has had good experiences with FromSoftware titles. Furthermore, he's also well-known for creating incredibly intricate fantasy world-building, although his settings are a different brand of dark fantasy from the gritty historical style Martin prefers. Mistborn's Allomancy is often considered one of the best magic systems in fantasy fiction.
Although it's unclear where this might lead, Bandai Namco expressing interest in working with Sanderson in the future could result in something as amazing as Elden Ring. At this point, FromSoftware has all but perfected the Soulslike formula, and Sanderson has reportedly done a lot of thinking about how he would try writing a game in the genre. He concluded the segment of the live stream by declaring that he might have to send them the pitch he's been working on and see what comes of it.
Elden Ring is out now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.