Most modern FromSoftware games are notorious for their difficulty, but, for some players, the recently-debuted action RPG Elden Ring is made exceptionally difficult for all the wrong reasons. Many players are reporting a litany of issues with the PC port of Elden Ring. Elden Ring’s problems are so widespread on PC that streamer and former esports star Shroud has temporarily shied away from playing it.
Released on February 25, 2022, Elden Ring quickly became a huge hit on Twitch regardless of its stability issues on PC, tripling the number of viewers brought in by the release of Dark Souls 3 in 2016. Despite the game’s popularity, Shroud was seen streaming the MMO Lost Ark that day. When asked why he hadn’t immediately hopped aboard the Elden Ring bandwagon, the streamer offered an even-keel answer, stating that he’d prefer to wait until the game’s performance on PC could be improved.
Though he’s not especially connected to FromSoftware’s collection of challenging titles, seeing a streamer of Shroud’s renown forgoing day-one access to Elden Ring may be jarring for some. Shroud recently became one of a select few to surpass 10 million followers on Twitch, meaning that his thoughts and opinions hold a significant weight in the minds of many. As a result, his nonchalance regarding Elden Ring may lessen others’ enthusiasm for the long-anticipated release.
However, arguably more detrimental to the game’s success would be streamer Summit1g’s negative reaction to From Software’s implementation of open-world mechanics. In a release-day stream, Summit1g was particularly harsh, criticizing Elden Ring for a perceived barrenness and tedium. Of course, Summit1g has also heavily criticized well-received games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild and New World, indicating that the opinions of certain streamers aren’t as influential as they might seem.
It’s worth noting that Shroud and Summit1g aren’t alone in their wariness of FromSoftware’s new venture. Despite the incredible amount of hype surrounding its debut, Elden Ring received mixed reviews from fans on Steam on release day, many of whom cited issues with stuttering and frame rate which may be tied to the use of Easy Anti-cheat or the implementation of DX12. This is far from the first less-than-optimal PC port produced by FromSoftware, and, as Shroud implied, a fix is likely to be implemented soon.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
