Leaked Image Shows Elden Ring's Map One Year Before Release

Summary

A fan shared a leaked Elden Ring map, originating a year before the game's release.
Fans discuss the evolution of the Lands Between, comparing the original and final versions' elevations.

An Elden Ring fan has uncovered a hidden gem for the soulslike community, sharing a previously leaked image unveiling the game’s original map one year before its release. Elden Ring was first launched in 2022 and easily went on to become Game of the Year. Crafted to perfection by Hidetaka Miyazaki and Game of Thrones worldbuilder George R. R. Martin, the action RPG sees players take control of the customizable Tarnished, who enters into a quest to restore the titular law of the world and become the new Elden Lord.

Following the incredibly successful Shadow of the Erdtree expansion in 2024, the next chapter in FromSoftware’s epic is Elden Ring Nightreign, a co-op spin-off taking place in a now procedurally generated variant of Limgrave called Limveld. Just weeks before its launch date, FromSoftware adjusted Elden Ring Nightreign’s difficulty, a change implemented after the game’s network test to reflect players’ feedback.

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By Mohsen Baqery

Posted on Reddit by AlenIronside, an image was shared on the Elden Ring subreddit showcasing a leaked glimpse at what the game’s map looked like one year before its official release, similar to an Elden Ring dataminer who uncovered alternate underground maps. While the general curvature of the map’s land mass stays roughly the same, including the placement of the Erdtree and the water region around Liurnia of the Lakes, Miquella’s Haligtree is noticeably missing, as well as more obscure points of interest such as the Crumbling Farum Azula.

Elden Ring Fan Shares Leaked Lands Between Map One Year Before the Game's Release

The soulslike’s map has come a long way since its original conception, and fans previously took it upon themselves to compare Shadow of the Erdtree’s massive map to Elden Ring’s. Redditors wasted no time in discussing the stark differences between the original and final maps, and one fan thought it was interesting to see the elevation change. Another comment highlighted that the area around Leyndell added credence to the Shadow Lands being “scooped out” of the Lands Between, which, from a developer’s standpoint, would eliminate players from swimming to Leyndell from the beginning.

The Lands Between is not only a dark fantasy playground for punishing boss battles, but it's become a cultural staple in the video games community, so much so that one Elden Ring fan recreated the map in Minecraft. The setting is a vast realm in scope and lore, previously overseen by Queen Marika the Eternal. The map comprises varying regions harboring their unique environments, including Deeproot Depths, Mountaintops of the Giants, and the popular Caelid.

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