Decoding the Lands Between: How Big is the Elden Ring Map?
The Lands Between, the setting for FromSoftware’s critically acclaimed Elden Ring, is a sprawling and breathtaking world. But just how sprawling is it? The answer, while seemingly simple, opens a door to a fascinating comparison with other iconic open-world games. The Elden Ring map size is approximately 79 square kilometers (30.5 square miles). This measurement, while concrete, doesn’t fully capture the immense sense of scale and density that players experience within the game.
Delving Deeper: Understanding Elden Ring’s Map Size
While 79 square kilometers provides a numerical benchmark, understanding what that feels like in-game is crucial. Elden Ring isn’t just about the total area; it’s about the density of content. This is where Elden Ring truly shines, packing a remarkable amount of detail, secrets, and challenges into every nook and cranny of its world.
The Illusion of Size and the Importance of Verticality
Elden Ring masterfully plays with the player’s perception of scale. The game world seems to expand every time you believe you’re close to the edge, a clever design choice. The verticality of the world is also a key factor. With sprawling underground areas, intricate dungeon systems, and towering landscapes, the accessible area adds a sense of immensity that isn’t reflected on a 2D map. The accessible area of the map is roughly 40 square kilometers with around 6% being added from the underground map.
The Role of Torrent in Navigating the Lands Between
The spectral steed, Torrent, is instrumental in traversing the vast landscape of Elden Ring. Without Torrent, the journey across the Lands Between would be significantly more arduous and time-consuming. Torrent enables players to quickly explore and discover new areas, maximizing their interaction with the game world.
Elden Ring vs. the Competition: A Map Size Comparison
How does Elden Ring stack up against other titans of the open-world genre? Let’s take a look:
- Elden Ring (79 sq km): As mentioned earlier, this is the benchmark.
- Grand Theft Auto V (approx. 75 sq km): Elden Ring narrowly edges out Rockstar’s masterpiece.
- Skyrim (approx. 39 sq km): Elden Ring is more than twice the size of Skyrim.
- The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt (approx. 218 sq km): The Witcher 3 significantly exceeds Elden Ring in map size.
- Assassin’s Creed Valhalla (approx. 95 sq km): Valhalla beats Elden Ring.
- Minecraft (1.5 billion sq miles): Minecraft’s procedurally generated world dwarfs all others.
These comparisons highlight that while Elden Ring’s map is substantial, some games offer even larger environments. However, the sheer detail and density of Elden Ring make it feel much more expansive than its raw size suggests.
Exploring Density vs. Size: A Crucial Distinction
The size of a map doesn’t necessarily equate to a better experience. A large, empty world can feel lifeless and tedious to explore. Elden Ring avoids this pitfall by ensuring that virtually every location is packed with interesting encounters, challenging enemies, and valuable rewards.
The Allure of Hidden Areas and Dungeons
Elden Ring rewards exploration with a wealth of hidden areas, including dungeons, caves, and catacombs. These optional locations provide challenging combat encounters, unique rewards, and further expand the game’s world.
Enemy Placement and Boss Encounters
The strategic placement of enemies and the sheer number of boss encounters further contribute to the density of Elden Ring’s world. There are a staggering 238 boss encounters in Elden Ring. The constant threat of danger keeps players engaged and encourages them to approach each new area with caution and strategic thinking.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About the Elden Ring Map
1. Is Elden Ring’s map bigger than Grand Theft Auto 5?
Yes, the Elden Ring map is slightly larger than Grand Theft Auto 5’s map.
2. How does Elden Ring’s map size compare to Skyrim?
Elden Ring’s map is more than twice the size of Skyrim’s map.
3. Is Elden Ring the biggest open-world game ever made?
No, Elden Ring is not the biggest open-world game. Games like Minecraft, The Witcher 3, and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla have larger maps.
4. How many map fragments are there in Elden Ring?
There are 20 different map fragments to find in Elden Ring.
5. What is the largest zone in Elden Ring?
Before the player completes the map, the snowy northeast area is largest zone.
6. How long does it take to beat Elden Ring?
When focusing on the main objectives, Elden Ring takes about 58 hours to complete. For 100% completion, expect to spend around 133 hours.
7. Is Elden Ring a true open-world game?
Yes, Elden Ring is presented through a third-person perspective; players freely roam its interactive open world.
8. Why does Elden Ring’s map feel so large?
Part of that is intentional, as the game constantly “lies” about the true size of its map, and keeps expanding it every time you think you’re about to reach the edge. But Elden Ring also doesn’t tell you about the handful of areas hidden underground, or the many caverns and mines dotted around its mountains.
9. Is Elden Ring harder than Skyrim?
Elden Ring’s combat is far more complex and well done than Skyrim’s.
10. What makes Elden Ring the best game ever?
Elden Ring takes the fundamental DNA of those games — the sensitive mechanics, the creepy yet compelling aesthetic, and, yes, the difficulty — and suffuses it throughout a third-person open-world setting.
11. What is the hardest video game of all time?
Many consider Demon’s Souls/Dark Souls as some of the hardest video games of all time.
12. What game has the smallest map?
Courageous Perseus is the smallest at 0.1 Miles.
13. Is Elden Ring harder than Diablo 4?
Some people say that Diablo 4 is much harder than Elden Ring.
14. How large is the Elden Ring map compared to Tears of the Kingdom?
Elden Ring has a bigger map but you cross it faster because of Torrent and despite the size there are many inaccessible areas.
15. What’s the biggest RPG game?
World of Warcraft is one of the biggest RPG games ever made.
Conclusion: The Map is Just the Beginning
The 79 square kilometers that comprise Elden Ring’s map are just the foundation of its appeal. It’s the artistic design, intricate level layout, challenging combat, and wealth of secrets that truly make the Lands Between a captivating and unforgettable experience. While other games may boast larger maps, Elden Ring demonstrates that density, verticality, and engaging content are far more crucial factors in creating a memorable open-world experience. The game’s blend of exploration, combat, and storytelling cements its place as a landmark achievement in the genre.
For more insights into the world of game-based learning and the educational applications of games like Elden Ring, be sure to visit the Games Learning Society website at https://www.gameslearningsociety.org/ or GamesLearningSociety.org.
Exploring every corner of the Elden Ring will require time and dedication, but the rewards are well worth the journey.