As FromSoftware looks to maintain record sales of Elden Ring, DLCs might be the way forward

Since its launch, Elden Ring has reached unprecedented highs as fans of all ages have poured in their love for the game. Whoever thought difficult games might not work in today's world was proven wrong. The game has become the highest valued IP in the world of video games since The Division in 2016.

While the numbers have now started to come out, what could interest some are FromSoftware's plans for the game.

The Japanese game developer has a rich legacy of making Soulslike games that have done very well in the past. Elden Ring is not only their latest IP, but it's also brand new. The game has long been anticipated by fans worldwide, and earlier in February, players could experience the greatness first-hand. To make matters even better, FromSoftware might expand the game even more in the coming days.

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FromSoftware might wish to sustain fans' interest in Elden Ring with DLCs

As soon as the game launched, the staggering Steam count numbers showed the kind of impact the game had made. From streamers to amateur gamers, Elden Ring has been played heavily, which has resulted in sales that have far exceeded Bandai Namco's expectations.

The Japanese publishers had anticipated 4 million in sales by the end of March 2022. Instead, the game has sold more than 13 million copies, making it one of the biggest successes in gaming. Additionally, FromSoftware has intentions to ensure that players keep their interests up so that Elden Ring can continue selling well.

This will be interesting as Elden Ring isn't a live-service game. It has a dedicated PvP part, but the core emphasis of the game is quite different from what a live-service game's will be. It's also hard to imagine that FromSoftware will go that way, but bringing in new players and retaining the older ones could take them to the route they have taken with their past titles.

As mentioned above, FromSoftware has a reputation for Soulslike games. Barring Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, all their previous releases have DLCs that were added in subsequent months. Most of their DLC content has hit the target and has helped extend the shelf life of games like Dark Souls.

With Elden Ring, this could provide a major impetus for the developers to keep players' interests high.

The DLCs will work in two major ways. They will help FromSoftware retain the interest of existing players who may have completed the base game. The DLCs will give them more incentive to play once again as fresh content will seek them to explore the game's world once again.

It will also work well with new gamers who previously might not have played the game. Additional content is always a positive thing for a buyer since they will be getting extra content compared to the game's original release. It also shows the dedication of a developer trying to add something new and not rest on past success.

Whether DLCs will be paid or free will be a matter of time and choice. The more pertinent question is if FromSoftware thinks that DLCs might be the way to go with Elden Ring for future preservation.

Free DLCs will surely help to boost the sales of base copies even more as future buyers will get more content. Current players will also be able to get the extra content without paying anything extra, which usually sits well in the gaming community. The final decision, however, will depend on FromSoftware and Bandai Namco.