There is no doubt that Elden Ring earned the GOTY 2023 award (best game of the year) and that there are not many things to blame it for. Still, it's far from perfect. FromSoftware's co-op mode has been crying out for a change for years: players want to share the entire experience, not just the boss fights.
Various mods like Seamless CO-OP have allowed players to share the entire adventure in the Between Lands without interruption, as other Soulslikes like Remnant 2 and Lords of the Fallen do naturally. The main difference is that the game does not kick out the guest after defeating a boss.
“We're definitely not actively opposed or downplaying wanting to complete the entire game together,” said FromSoftware CEO Hidetaka Miyazaki. to PCGamer. “As to Elden Ringit was simply a matter of wanting a more relaxed style and reporting: enter, defeat the boss and leave.” The company has tried several styles, but all very similar.
“That's not to say we won't consider other ways to play with your friends, including end-to-end, full co-op, or that we won't consider ideas like this for future games,” Miyazaki adds. In other words: the total cooperative will not reach Elden Ringbut they do not rule it out for a new delivery.
In VidaExtra | The design of Elden Ring is more masterful than I imagined: they have opened my eyes with a great detail and I can't stop thinking about it
In VidaExtra | I'm sure Hidetaka Miyazaki enjoys it by seeing us suffer in her infected pits and that she will repeat it in the Elden Ring DLC
In VidaExtra | Elden Ring's exploration is unrivaled: it's on par with (or even above) Subnautica and The Legend of Zelda