Leaked 'Elden Ring' footage proves the video game still exists

Way back in the distant past that was 2019's E3 Conference, audiences were treated to a very exciting announcement trailer for Elden Ring, a new RPG collaboration between fantasy masterminds Hidetaka Miyazaki (Dark Souls) and George R.R. Martin (...you know). It looked about as epic as one would imagine from a game developed by two of the most respected genre auteurs in their mediums, but since then, well, that was about it.

Tidbits of news and rumors have passed through the internet grapevine from time to time, yet there's been no new game imagery, nor really any comment from either of the big names attached to the project. Today, however, fans were surprised with leaked video footage showcasing a new(ish) look at Elden Ring. Very brief, very shaking, low-resolution leaked video footage... but footage, nonetheless.

Blink and you'll miss it — Sure, even with most of a full trailer now available, the total leaked video clocks in at just over one minute. Also, you really can't discern much apart from some horseback combat, some giants, and a big dragon, which is pretty par for the course for any fantasy RPG these days. Oh, and apparently the leaks are from back in 2020. But still! It's at least some additional proof that Elden Ring wasn't a collective fever dream, and might actually see the light of day in the not-too-distant future.

Understandable, predictable reasons for the delay — According to VGC, the main reason no one has seen much of Elden Ring until now is that production has been "delayed several times internally due to disruption caused by the pandemic," which, y'know, adds up. Because of this, most assume we won't see an actual release this year, either. And while an actual official trailer release is rumored to drop soon-ish, Xbox's Aaron Greenberg shot down hopes for it to happen during a Microsoft event later this month. (Maybe he'll still get his Tesla / Halo Warthog collab, though).

Can't stop the hype — Still, that hasn't stopped the company's top brass from hyping the hell out of the Miyazaki / Martin project. "I can't tell you much other than, as somebody who's played all of Miyazaki's games over at least the last decade, this is clearly the most ambitious game that he's done," Xbox big boss, Phil Spencer, told GameSpot late last year. So, while it sounds like we've got quite a wait until we get our hands on an actual game, this by no means feels like a horrible rehash of P.T. trauma.