Silence Is the new Press Release: How One Game Developer Broke the Internet With Almost No Marketing

After releasing less than three weeks ago, FromSoftware’s most recent fantasy RPG epic ‘ELDEN RING’ has obliterated sales records, captured the attention of the internet in a vice-like grip, and now refuses to let go. Believe it or not, however, the story of Elden Ring’s marketing and PR run-up to release is by no means a typical one. Announced nearly three years ago in the summer of 2019, the game was originally met with large amounts of anticipation and excitement from hardcore fans of FromSoftware’s past works, all of which being critically acclaimed titles of their own. Unbeknownst to those eagerly awaiting more information on the game, it would be two more years before anything else was publicly shared on the product. Today, I’d like to break down and discuss how the huge silence, as well as the nine month marketing campaign that followed, built a cataclysmic storm of hype across the globe.

 

Silence is the New Press Release

 

Following its June 2019 reveal, Elden Ring developer FromSoftware entered an extended period of marketing hibernation. Industry events came and went, and the months of 2019 dwindled and faded, none of which containing even a sliver of news on seemingly the studio’s most ambitious and exciting project yet. By 2020, the pandemic was well underway, and speculation amongst the fan community spiralled rapidly. Many ran to the internet forum giant Reddit, to take refuge within the subreddit r/EldenRing, a hotbed of discussion for those waiting in anticipation. Some talked of their fears that the game had been cancelled, whilst others took the time to remind themselves that the pandemic had clearly impacted  development of the title. As these discussions raged on, the community surrounding the unreleased product only grew. The mystery surrounding Elden Ring’s status was enticing, only expanded upon by the developers incredible repertoire of previous works, and its huge renown for creating mind-blowingly incredible (and challenging) experiences. 

 

Within just over a year, the Reddit forum has amassed nearly fifty thousand members, all without even a peep from neither developer nor publisher.

 

Months continued to lapse, each one bringing new rumours and speculation regarding Elden Ring’s current situation from games industry insiders. Most claimed the pandemic had massively reduced the speed at which FromSoftware were working, though none could provide any information as to when audiences and players would see the game next, let alone experience it for themselves. However, even as industry events once again came and went with not a sign of the game from any official source, the community refused to remain silent.  By March 2021, the now infamous Reddit community had become over one hundred thousand members strong. 

 

Then, at the beginning of March, an internal trailer showcasing the game in an early state somehow made its way onto the internet. It created huge shockwaves, catching the attention of social media like wildfire and dominating the discussion space for days. With only one trailer released nearly two years ago at this point, FromSoftware had cultivated themselves a huge audience ready to devour even the slightest hint of information at a moment's notice. The timing could not have been more perfect, as three months later came the first official announcement in two years, and the beginning of a monumental nine month marketing cycle. 

 

“We’ll Take It From Here”

 

Elden Ring’s second trailer, delivered at the Summer Games Fest event in June of 2021, was met with an overwhelmingly positive critical reception. Its viewing numbers far surpassed that of the original trailer from two years prior, and now sits at close to ten million. A release date of January 2022 was also unveiled, leaving a relatively short window of time between re-announcement and release. The re-launch of Elden Ring’s marketing was in full swing. 

 

Tens of thousands of new members flocked to the Elden Ring Reddit forum to analyse and dissect each and every frame of the new trailer bestowed upon them. Over the coming months, the official social media channels for the game fired up with weekly screenshots and teasers as to what was in store, and occasional press previews cropped up with glowing reviews of short, behind-closed-doors experiences. Despite these rather small and fairly insignificant pieces of new media for the game, excitement only grew, and tweets of simple in-game images amassed tens of thousands of likes. The desperation for a game that had shown so little of itself was an immensely impressive feat. 

 

In November of 2021, even more attention was brought to the game with several announcements both positive as well as negative. As for the latter, a delay of just over a month was announced, moving the release to February of 2022. In return? A huge twenty minute gameplay demonstration to be revealed to the public only a few days later. What could have been a slight stain on an otherwise hugely positive campaign was almost forgotten about by the surrounding community and gaming audiences with the promise of the biggest look into Elden Ring so far. 

 

As expected, this move proved to be a giant success. The demo released to YouTube dominated headlines, social media spaces and online discussions alike. At close to nine million views, the watch numbers nearly caught up with its trailer predecessor nearly six months prior. The continued and unparalleled growth of the community, and immensely positive reactions from even those with zero ties to the company's previous works, was taking Elden Ring down a path of PR success that some could only dream of. And yet, somehow, this wasn’t the end.

 

There’s Living Up To Expectations, and Then There’s Elden Ring…

 

A few days prior to launch, the review embargo from journalists and influencers finally lifted. Whilst many expected the game to be a hit, few expected quite the reception they were met with. Upon the release of its reviews, Elden Ring was given a rating of 96 on both Metacritic and Opencritic, elevating it to one of the highest rated products ever, especially within the gaming industry. Generating massive hype for a product has proved dangerous in recent years, with many games crashing and burning after releasing in lacklustre states that failed to meet any of the promises or expectations made in their marketing cycles. Elden Ring stood out for many reasons, but in the age we exist within right now, it managed to stand out primarily because it not only met the expectations it was faced with, but somehow surpassed the build-up of anticipation that had morphed from close to three years of speculation and marketing. What this game had done was nearly impossible to fathom, and its reputation will now forever stand as a testament to any and all in not only the gaming industry, but the media industry as a whole. 

 

And this, above all else, is why I wanted to tell this story for those who may not be as intertwined in the games sector as I am. The lessons this game's marketing and hype cycle taught are ones that we all can use not only as PR practitioners, but as people who want to inspire, impress and exceed the expectations people have of us.