To start playing Elden Ring, install the base game for a platform you own, choose a class for its starting gear and feel, then use the opening to learn movement, attacks, and defense. You do not need the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion to begin the main game. When a fight feels overwhelming, try a different approach or explore elsewhere rather than assuming that grinding levels is the only answer.
Choose the right game edition for your platform
Bandai Namco lists Elden Ring for PC, PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, and Xbox One. In an August 2026 announcement, the publisher said the Elden Ring Tarnished Edition is available for Nintendo Switch 2 and bundles the original game with Shadow of the Erdtree. Check the store listing for your region and platform before buying, since prices, availability, and exact edition contents can vary.
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If you want to play the main game first, choose a listing that includes the base game. The official store distinguishes physical and digital formats, and lists a Standard Edition, a Shadow of the Erdtree Edition containing the game and expansion, and expansion-related products. An expansion-only product is not the base game. See Bandai Namco’s game and product information and confirm the contents in the platform store before checkout.
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Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →The expansion is additional content, not a stated prerequisite for starting the main game. The publisher also says existing players can purchase new content on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC through Steam; its companion guide identifies this add-on as the Tarnished Pack. If you are new, do not mistake an add-on listing for a complete game.
#1 Best Overall
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition contains the Elden Ring Base Game + Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion + Additional Content (including Torrent Skins, New Armors, and More...)
- MASSIVE OPEN WORLD
- DEEP, CUSTOMIZABLE COMBAT
- NEW STARTING CLASSES
- NEW PLAYER-FRIENDLY ENHANCEMENTS
What should you do first in Elden Ring?
- Install the base game. Match the edition to your PC or console, and check that the listing includes the main game.
- Pick a starting class by its opening equipment and style. Choose the sort of beginning that sounds enjoyable; the selection does not lock you into a permanent character path.
- Learn the controls a little at a time. Practice moving, defending, attacking, and using the interface before worrying about mastering every system.
- Explore and experiment. The game offers different ways to approach combat, including direct fighting, stealth, magic, and calling allies for aid.
- Step away from a difficult encounter when needed. Try another tactic or develop another aspect of your character; the open world gives you room to explore beyond a challenge.
For platform-specific controls and interface explanations, use Bandai Namco’s beginner guide. It was published in 2021, so treat its button labels as a reference rather than assuming every layout is unchanged. Check the current in-game settings if your controls differ.
Which class should you choose?
In the official class overview, Bandai Namco describes class choice as a starting point, not a limit on how your character can develop. Base your choice on the initial equipment and play feel you want, rather than trying to identify a universally best class.
Rank #2
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
The current overview includes origins such as Heavy Knight and Idus Knight alongside established options including Samurai, Astrologer, Vagabond, and Wretch. Their opening setups differ, but class alone does not determine your eventual playstyle. Review the official class descriptions and pick the beginning that appeals to you.
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How to approach combat and difficulty
Start by getting comfortable with the basic rhythm of movement, defense, and attacks. You can use weapons, magic, and skills, and the publisher describes options ranging from direct combat to stealth or calling allies for help. Experiment with the tools available to your character instead of treating one method as mandatory.
Rank #3
- A New Fantasy World – Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
- World Exploration in the Lands Between – Elden Ring features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title
- Genre-Defining Gameplay – Create your character in FromSoftware’s refined action-RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
If an enemy seems too hard, more levels are not always the only answer. Try changing your approach, improving another aspect of your character, or exploring a different area before returning. This flexibility is part of the open-world design, although it does not mean every encounter can be skipped.
Use Torrent as an option, not a rule
Torrent is useful for travel and for field combat against large enemies. Mounted fighting is a tool, not a requirement for every battle. Bandai Namco’s tips say that if Torrent falls, you can summon the mount again at the cost of a Crimson Flask. Read the publisher’s combat and exploration tips for more guidance.
Rank #4
![Elden Ring - Standard Edition [PlayStation 5] (German Version)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ye3mnByQL._SL160_.jpg)
- Jetzt ELDEN RING vorbestellen und Zugang zu Folgendem erhalten: Digitales Adventure Guide und Bonusgeste “Der Ring”
- Reisen Sie durch das Zwischenland – eine neue Fantasywelt aus der Feder von Hidetaka Miyazaki, dem Schöpfer der einflussreichen DARK SOULS-Videospielreihe, und George R. R. Martin, dem Autor der Fantasy-Bestsellerreihe „A Song of Ice and Fire“ (Das Lied von Eis und Feuer)
- ELDEN RING lockt mit gigantischen Fantasy-Landschaften und düsteren, komplexen Dungeons, die nahtlos ineinander übergehen
- Ein kostenloses Upgrade auf die PlayStation 5-Version wird für Spieler verfügbar sein, die ELDEN RING für die PlayStation 4 kaufen, und SmartDelivery wird auf der Xbox One und der Xbox Series X|S unterstützt
Do you need Shadow of the Erdtree to start?
No. The base game is enough to begin the main game; Shadow of the Erdtree is additional content. You can start with a base-game edition and decide later whether you want the expansion. If you do buy a bundle or add-on, verify whether it includes the base game or requires an existing copy.
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Check purchase terms that may have changed
Store prices, regional edition names, physical stock, and availability can change. Verify the current listing for your platform before purchase. Bandai Namco’s older starter guide mentions a free PS5 upgrade for PS4 purchases and Xbox Smart Delivery, but those are purchase-sensitive terms from 2021; confirm the current platform-store terms rather than relying on that older guidance.
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