George R.R. Martin's Involvement in Elden Ring Explained
George R. R. Martin has an impressive reputation, largely because of his acclaimed fantasy novel series, A Song of Ice and Fire. His work established him as a master of the fantasy genre and only increased in popularity with HBO's hit show, Game of Thrones. Westeros is home to many diverse cultures, fascinating characters, and deep lore that informs the currently unfolding novels. Many stories can be enjoyed fully without completely understanding the lore behind them, but George R. R. Martin's work wouldn't be the same without the rich histories and clashing cultures.
That's what makes Martin's involvement in FromSoftware's newest project, Elden Ring, so exciting. While Game of Thrones fans may be feeling like they'll never know Martin's version of the ending, he's not finished telling stories yet. George R. R. Martin's name appeared alongside Hidetaka Miyazaki's when Elden Ring was announced at E3 in 2019, but apart from that initial announcement trailer, there has been next to no news about the story. Martin's role in the project, however, is a little bit less mysterious.
One of George R. R. Martin's greatest strengths as a storyteller is his ability to create lore that serves a genuine purpose within a story. To reiterate, Game of Thrones would not have been nearly as successful without the history behind the feuding families and the mythology that set a foundation for some of the most important plot points.
Martin's role in Elden Ring is exactly that. He's not determining individual plot points as much as he is creating the world and setting the foundation for Miyazaki and FromSoftware to build upon. Miyazaki himself described Martin's role as being similar to a dungeon master's guidebook. He's not the dungeon master, who guides the narrative through its various twists and turns, but he established the rules within which the story must happen.
Specifically, Martin fleshed out the era prior to the one Elden Ring takes place in. It's revealed in the announcement trailer that the Elden Ring, which the player is seemingly trying to obtain, was shattered by someone or something. The phrasing in the trailer makes it seem like this shattering happened before the game starts, so maybe Martin worked on fleshing out this key event. Martin created many historical figures as well, and it's likely that some of them will be just as significant as Game of Thrones' Mad King, Aerys Targaryen.
Apart from being a masterful storyteller, especially where establishing history and mythology is concerned, George R. R. Martin's involvement in Elden Ring is a great opportunity for FromSoftware to go in a new direction. Hidetaka Miyazaki has done a lot of creative work in the dark fantasy realm and been very successful, but a lot of FromSoftware's games draw on very similar themes, imagery, and mythology.
Having someone new come in and set the foundation is the perfect way to make sure that Elden Ring stands apart, which seems to be FromSoftware's goal. Although a recently leaked trailer seemed to suggest it would look familiar to Dark Souls, Elden Ring does have its own ideas. George R. R. Martin is considered to be the father of modern fantasy, so he's the perfect choice to help create the world of Elden Ring.
It's also important to note that George R. R. Martin isn't developing the entire narrative, so fans needn't worry about him taking over, as he and Miyazaki are working together to create the game world. Martin's role in the project is an incredibly important one and will determine what can take place within the world and where the narrative can go, but ultimately, the in-game events are still being directed by Miyazaki and FromSoftware.
Elden Ring is in development, with PC, PS4, and Xbox One.
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