One Elden Ring player reveals how they sometimes use the PvP invasions to casually walk around the map. Elden Ring’s Invasions are usually tense two vs. one battles to the death, but there’s not technically anything that forces invading players to attack their Host. As a result, at least one player found a surprisingly peaceful way to experience the game’s online play.
FromSoftware and Bandai Namco released Elden Ring in February 2022. An open-world dark-fantasy action RPG co-written by Game of Thrones author George RR Martin, the game saw an overwhelmingly positive reception from critics and fans alike. While some detractors felt it wasn’t as well balanced as FromSoftware’s previous Soulslike games, Elden Ring still won Game of the Year at the 2022 Game Awards. It also snagged awards for Best Game Direction, Best Art Direction, and Best Role Playing.
Invasions have been a staple of FromSoftware’s Soulslike games since the original Demon Souls’ in 2009. However, instead of dueling the Host to the death, Reddit user Anchorrr sometimes likes to name himself JustTakingAWalk before casually strolling around other players’ games. The Elden Ring player recently uploaded a clip of himself doing just that, much to the amusement of fellow fans on the game’s subreddit.
The 45-second clip shows Anchorrr's character casually walking up some steps outside Elden Ring’s Volcano Manor. The game’s Host and their co-op partner soon appear near the Fog Wall at the top of the steps, presumably expecting an imminent battle. Viewers can even see one of the players casting a spell in preparation. But instead of attacking, JustTakingAWalk casually strolls past them, taking a left turn as he proceeds across the nearby bridge. The other players continue watching from the top of the stairs, with one player-character even turning to his partner as if to ask, “Is that it?”
While the clip ends after 45 seconds, Anchorrr’s walk went on for a good deal longer than that. He wasn’t walking alone either, revealing in the comments that the other two players joined him on his latest tour of Elden Ring’s world map. After returning to the Fog Wall where they met, Anchorrr bowed to his hosts and left each of them a Lord’s Rune before departing.
One commenter even mentioned Anchorrr happened to Invade them and their co-op partner a few days earlier. They’d walked with him a bit before the Host and their co-op partner encountered Glintstone Dragon Smarag, the Greater Foe Boss guarding Elden Ring’s Glintstone Key. Anchorrr stayed to watch them slay the Dragon before the game sent him back home. Altogether, these are undoubtedly some of the more wholesome Invasions that Elden Ring players might encounter.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
