Elden Ring’s SIMPLE Strategy that Made Billions

Elden Ring, OHHH Elden Ring....
Y'all have probably heard about Elden Ring's oh so seemingly poor marketing, but let me introduce the "Unseen Architect" of it all -the mastermind behind the silent marketing that drove them Tarnished ones crazy.
I tried my hand at the game when it came out but bowed out early, yet - I couldn't help but be drawn to its promotional strategy. Their quiet approach broke all the rules, turning what looked like marketing missteps into a masterclass in anticipation.
Whether you've played it or not, there's a deep dive into how strategic silence in a world of oversharing can speak louder than a buggy Keanu Reeves.
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Written & Produced by Belinda Ercan
Editing and Strategic Direction by n8wealth.com
#eldenring #gaming #strategy

[@BelindaErcan]

Since a few of you asked - here's the wallpaper :D kzbin.info/www/bejne/jKuvhX-ErK2Boq8

[@elmertsai1312]

Fromsoft doesn't excessively market their game because they are busy spending resources on the actual important part: the game.

[@user-yg1jd6dt1b]

Exactly

[@doob.]

Raid shadow legend

[@smith3136]

@@doob. lol

[@forsaken841]

They could spend a little on performance optimization tho

[@smith3136]

@@forsaken841 for real

[@rKhael53]

"How to make millions ?" Activision : - Microtransactions ! Blizzard : - Slow down player progression ! From Software : - Just make good games...

[@BelindaErcan]

Miyazaki = game auteur ABK = $$$

[@akj3344]

Re-release CSGO as CS2. Valve made more than 1B because of that move.

[@DarkepyonX]

​@@BelindaErcanGame hasn't made 1 billion and 25 million in sales with a high return or trade in rate or refund rate definitely makes your take nonsense. Game directors aren't even in same building usually as dev team 😂 Mitazaki didn't create souls or elden , his actual team created series and were same people who created armor core . I have stock in company and if ANYTHING you said was actually reality the stock price would be soaring and I would be very rich at 2500 shares . Miyazaki left Elden ring team after launch and then joined the AC6 team and for THIRD time in his career was kicked off the AC team . You are also conflating a Japan based company vs US market , I'm not writing out the pages of how ignorant that is but seriously cut and pasting media bits together to create some fanboy clickbait is just lazy af . This video is an insult to the dozens of people who made the game .

[@dontaz1]

@@DarkepyonX Are you alright? What are you on about? See the video again, clearly you have nothing better to do in your life.. Maybe read a good academic marketing book.

[@pun15h3r.]

Hell yeah, if only they knew man... When suits try to make games... Miss the good ol days when game where made by gamers... I'm SO glad, we at least have Miyazaki man!

[@seven7383]

- makes sales like no other game in 2022 - doesn't care about the money - continues to mind their business and is only interested in making quality games that they love absolute gigachad of a company

[@BelindaErcan]

The gigachad of a company - love it 😂

[@Digger-Nick]

Nothing quality about a barren shell of an open world game with assets copy pasted from their previous titles

[@alifpatria2135]

"Know thy fans, a strategy not to chase every player out there, but satisfy the right ones" - That was gorgeously said.

[@pun15h3r.]

hell yeah man, what a statement. And in those times too man.. Such a good move!

[@amharbinger]

They pulled a Valve, and they won by doing nothing. Just let their work show everyone what they're about.

[@trapis03]

I miss the old valve intro w the bald head :(

[@MatchaLuka]

Elden ring truly the dark souls of marketing

[@jpc1602]

Elden Ring marketing really went from "I doubt you could even imagine it!" all the way up to "Thy strength befits a crown." Great video! 💪👑

[@LadyMoonboy]

Their strategy: Make a good and enjoyable game that people will remember for years to come.

[@samuelschwager]

The industry sees the success of Hogwarts Legacy, Baldur's Gate 3 and Elden Ring and comes to the conclusion: we need more live service games!

[@BelindaErcan]

😂😂

[@Miraihi]

Because the small few of live service games that are successful are so profitable that it is worth risking several failures for one success. What the publishers don't understand though is that we have a limited number of hours per day, haha. It may be possible that the market can't handle any more live service games right now because all the potential loyal users have been already taken by the predecessors.

[@BelindaErcan]

@@Miraihi that’s spot on. 1% of the live service games dominate 99% of the market. But that era is about to saturate and shift. A cycle is coming to an end.

[@Judgernautified]

It already came to an end. Very apparent by how every new live service has flopped catastrophically over the past several years.

[@Digger-Nick]

​@@JudgernautifiedFlopped? They are making more money than ever lol

[@n0one213]

You are really underrated and hidden gem in youtube world

[@viissecrett]

I agree!

[@zaidb4296]

the silent marketing was so crazy. i have never heard of it prior to release until a friend of mine mentioned it. this game changed my life

[@alternamasaki429]

"In the world of gaming giants everyone gets critizised" -stands in front of Ubisoft HQ I just love the stark contrast between FromSoftware and Ubisoft, its like a raging virgin wanting to challenge a Swordmaster

[@rebelblade7159]

In my opinion, the Success of Elden RIng and From Soft's difficult games in general can be a good example of the blue ocean strategy. Except in this case, the blue ocean isn't just appealing to the core audience that doesn't mind the difficulty and design of From Soft's games. The gaming industry itself with all its standardized practices has created this space where From Software is virtually unchallenged to cater to all those people who are fed up with the industry norms.

[@YannSchmidt]

Making the mastermind of those games as the head of the company was the best move.

[@morpheus_uat]

"let the community take care of the marketing"

[@owlmananthropomorphic9418]

She did the "unseen architect" strat by not revealing the unseen architect. well done! Soul games make me feel like the creators respect me as a gamer. RDR2 felt the same. These are the Oscar winners of game industry where most games have porn level acting. well done!

[@richardjamesIII]

From Software is legendary at this point. Their priorities aren't the priorities of typical game devs. I watched a video of interviews with the voice actors (vocal performances and dialogue in FS games are chillingly beautiful). Their art design, world design, level design, and sound/music, ntm story and lore, are FAR more important to them than marketing. They KNOW people will flock to their games because of these and that few games can come close to them in these areas of quality.

[@ankansharma4897]

Shared trauma leads to bonding, a well-known fact. From Software does that so well. Boss battle are hard but some are just traumatic. Thats why whoever plays Souls game immediately joins a group be that reddit or KZbin channel for that game. To bitch about how hard the boss is and at-last they conquered it. Miyazaki is a GENIUS. ALL HAIL LORD MIYAZAKI

[@mwm1987]

This is precisely why their games cannot ever have an easy mode. The community is a huge part of what makes these games great. For every jerk who simply tells you to 'git gud' there are 100 others who will share advice, strategies or even their profiles so they can be summoned to help you fight a boss.

[@BUKUDI]

Facts. Was having a sublime first playthrough of Elden Ring then reached Maliketh (& even his OP, spamming draconic guard) as a melee player & discovered rage & loathing I didn't even know I had

[@jebathehutt4287]

"Show, don't tell" is peak Elden Ring marketing

[@ssduo5574]

That one Ubisoft dev really became an international clown🤣

[@TapaniLastellar]

Now I know about Elden Ring's silent marketing 🙏

[@LuisSierra42]

I am

[@jakislol1111]

@@LuisSierra42 what

[@MythicqI]

@@jakislol1111 he is

[@PeterMasalski93]

Ubisoft: 95% marketing 5% making the game good Fromsoft 95% making the game good 5% marketing Which one would you choose?

[@senshai1267]

"Underpromise and over deliver ." ,Thats the Miyazaki way.

[@jordandthornburg]

So true. The DLC is the size of Limgrave lol.

[@trashmito]

The Todd Howard way is exactly the opposite :D

[@DreamyAileen]

@@jordandthornburg didn't he also say the base game was 30 hours long back before it launched lmao

[@Digger-Nick]

Elden ring is nothing but lazy copy paste, that's over delivering?

[@imskiller99]

"Today is day 70 of your daily elden ring news update. There is no news for elden ring today. This concludes your elden ring update."

[@bonoach2632]

they did the same with the dlc. silence for 2years. Then dropping a complete new game as dlc....gotta love them. Happy to be a souls player since the beginning 2009

[@irisshard2336]

It is quite refreshing to see someone who is actually working in the game industry to discuss games, not "just another gamer". Also, I like the visual explanations, but having you talking to the camera keeps people engaged rather than hiding behind the screen. But what encouraged you to start a KZbin channel?

[@BelindaErcan]

Creative expression :) (vs corporate job) Thank you for your kind words

[@irisshard2336]

@@BelindaErcan Always! And shame on you for starting so late: I binged your videos in only one day; where is my informative entertainment for the rest of the week? >:( Keep on going, we will be here to support you. ♥️

[@70o07]

See Elden ring didn't fight or scam their fanbase and that is considered as the exception in the gaming industry

[@rich1231]

The From Software Co. marketing strategy reminds me so much of Seth Godin's Tribes principles. Paraphrasing: "Find and appeal to the core, true believers in your cause... and the rest is history;)"

[@WhenTheSunLordsFell]

“chasing growth for the sake of growth doesnt grow anything… it kills it”😮

[@qoganjacks146]

"Chasing growth for the sake of growth doesn't grow anything. It kills it" Quote of the day.

[@reimagineuniverse]

I am not a gamer and haven't played games for 20 years. I bought a PS5 after seeing Elden Ring's trailer just because of the art. I thought I would just jump on that horse and run around. Than I bought Assasians Creed Mirage too because I heard its name....god what an awful game AC next to Elden Ring.

[@KazmirRunik]

don forget about that bigass tree what that bigass tree doin there

[@xanderluu3876]

Back in 2022 I honestly got an elden ring ad before every youtube video

[@yukgaejang4417]

Elden Ring is the result of prioritizing gamers first, rather than shareholders.

[@jerome6032]

Maybe a hottake, but I am 100% confident in the success of from soft not being related to marketing at all. They simply have theire priorities right and now what their community wants. That's why the players love the game. That has been true for Dark Souls, Bloodborne and Sekiro. With every Title the playerbase grew because it are all good games, not because they are marketed in a genuise way. And eventually the playerbase became so large that Elden Ring has become the big hit it is today.

[@slimefrank6317]

That is a solid view point and one I find very easy to agree with.

[@Kalajmi]

by far the most underrated gaming channel on youtube.

[@Walamonga1313]

There absolutely is easy mode. Summoning npcs and spirit ashes, as well as using broken builds. Miyazaki himself said recently that he sucks at videogames and used all of those to beat his own game lol

[@akj3344]

You have put good amount of thought into this video. Great job! Also loved your steam vs that adult platform video. Very insightful!

[@jamesesmith3055]

I understand this channel is about marketing so it will make it sound like that is the be-all and end-all, but neither the so called marketing "architect" of Elden Ring nor the final marketing campaign were the reasons for its success, it was word of mouth because the game was good, simple as that, it is always that. If instead we had had the same marketing campaign but with a game in a state similar to Cyberpunk on release, or as underwhelming as Starfield, people would not be having this conversartion. You can have all the money and IPs in the world and pay the most expensive agencies to put it everywhere, but if the game is bad, it doesn't matter. As the Baldur's Gate 3 publishing director said, "marketing's dead".

[@pabloqp7929]

Actually great journalism. Your passion is inspiring

[@WookieWarriorz]

great video, definitely higher quality and better researched than 95% of articles in games journalism.

[@low9904]

hmm... as a souls fan i honestly wasnt aware of how silent the marketing was. thought that was normal.

[@inarik]

Banger video as always. It would be cool to see a video about "mouth to mouth" marketing, like helldivers 2 and pallworld

[@moonkaster]

Great video! KZbin really needs more channels like this, with good information and high quality standards for what they make. To your continued success! I also appreciate you did the same with the "unseen architect" as Elden Ring did with its marketing

[@BelindaErcan]

🫡

[@DeerDreamStudios]

Your research on this was outstanding: well done!

[@halflucan]

Compare this with the marketing of Final Fantasy 16, 4, 2-4 min trailers, multiple gameplay videos, a demo etc And I don't think they've even sold 5mil copies

[@miritom5747]

You can not compare them . Final Fantasy 16 was a ps5 exclusive with around 38 millions users back then and they sold around 10% of the available userbase which is fine . elden ring was everywhere(except nd switch). If we add all the users of ps4,ps5,xbox one,series s-x and pc users are at least 10 to 15 times more than ps5 userbase .

[@viissecrett]

Fromsoft is such a good developer, such a breath of fresh air in today's market, where things are so dreadful...

[@gpeak212]

Why is this channel so underrated?

[@ansurarks]

Don't forget the streamer and souls content creator sponsorships by Bamco and the Red Bull event for the launch of both the main game and DLC.

[@nellone]

The editing is impressive and your charisma and smiles aswell!

[@Copeharder00]

Just found your channel, absolutely love your style of content!

[@sefmike8359]

One of the most interesting gaming channels out here on KZbin discussing gmaming topics with clear explanations. Love this channel! Keep up the good work 💪

[@Wonton-the-Sea-Snail]

4:50 addition note was in 2017 the game of thrones fandom found out that GRR martin left HBO and would not be consulting in the final season of Game of Thrones, because he wanted to write for a video game. He didnt say what it was, but it was a "souls-like game with runic elements"

[@itwasmewhodidit]

Good marketing strategy to put asmon clip in :D cool channel subbed

[@BelindaErcan]

Can’t do without ma boi Asmon

​@BelindaErcan It just became a tradition

[@1life.2play]

Amazing channel and you have a great personality. You make an interesting topic fun to watch... and whatever I watched on this channel, I didn't waste a single second of my life. You're the real one! 💯😎

[@Ram2rol]

It's actually kinda funny how AAA companies do the mystery advertising, but only when it comes to the in-game store and the amount of micro-transactions and how predatory it's gonna be. They make sure to let you know how much you are missing out on by not pre-purchasing or buying deluxe editions, that's for sure.

[@laytonvicars4606]

Simple strategy: make a good game.

[@vitsavicky]

And the strategy worked wonders... because there are no announced games that From Software are working on and yet here we are millions of people eager for a slightest glimpse of what is next. And we know it will be just a glimpse, but that will be enough.

[@dellonerf3140]

Marketing? They know they have the most loyal fans.

[@samwizgamgie3rd828]

Legendary Marketing Achievement!

[@ToyohisaTV]

fantastic video

[@minhgiangtuan96]

Form how i see it, FS did amazing job with this: + Call the game hard, people who play it must know and accept it before they play, so the change they leave the game will be less than other game. + Focus on gameplay, free to do what player want than cut scenes and the mark on the Map to tell you what to do, where to get stronger item. I feel like 10x better when a friend (real life or online) show you the strong item you miss and you show them what they're missing. + FS just show you what you need to see and done. You got 1 Cinematic trailer, people wait and they give us gameplay trailer (most important cause other Company will give you nonstop Cinematic trailer until game release), in that gameplay trailer, they give you the realease day, not just a year (2025-2028 or something like that) and can be delay. + They marketing just let the game speak for itself. I can say this is 100% better than show player 1000 ads, at least for someone like me, see something too much make me loose interesting in it. They use the "mouth to mouth" method we used to have in old day work again with FS's game.

[@havoc8600]

Ubisoft sucks so much now, why give them name credit showing their building

[@pant104]

Make dark souls 4 and rename it to something else. Make people that don't like dark souls buy dark souls because they didn't know it was dark souls = profit.

[@BelindaErcan]

😂 based

[@austins.2495]

I feel like it would sell more if you didn’t change the name from Dark Souls, because people love the series and would kill for another entry. But good try

[@Ghorda9]

except it requires a completely different playstyle than the dark souls series, dodging isn't that good anymore and often discouraged over something else like jumping or simply by not being in the wrong place at the wrong time or a slew of other methods

[@whiteprivilegedkkona2958]

Thats what happened to me, i thought i didnt like Dark Souls Games but i bought Elden Ring. And i fucking love it

[@MrHocotateFreight]

​@austins.2495 "I feel like, but good try" so your personal opinion is higher than others? Or just currently mad? Maybe it's time to just not comment for the rest of the night, ever think that?

[@Rekennnnn]

Another banger from Belinda. Thank you

[@DiN01337]

Your videos are so much fun to watch! 😎

[@Garbageman28]

It’s so funny that they really just made an unbelievably good game and let their reputation speak for themselves. Confidence isn’t even the right word for it, more so joy in knowing that they’ll find the people they need.

[@yvancluet8146]

Marketing has its importance, but I'll attribute most of the success of the game to its absolutely phenomenal quality. It sold cause it was really far above the competition on its release year, just like Baldur's Gate last year

[@__someone___]

This video is one of the best documentaries about elden ring I have ever seen on the internet

[@CoreyisBarackObama]

8:15 -- Speaking of the joy and importance of imagination, whilst relying on A.I to accompany your words...

[@Jupa]

Bandai deserves to be studied. They pulled a Lexus in 2024. Business geniuses as are Fromsoft creative geniuses.

[@makikuma91]

You said "behind it" and turned around. Teach me your Comedy ways.

[@BelindaErcan]

Ha. You noticed :) Was pure coincidence. The moment I said: “no noise at all” - the cyclist comes with loud music and parks behind me.

[@jamesdenton6370]

New to your channel but enjoyed this and the effort you put in on the script, presenting and editing is great :)

[@joncoish]

The only marketing they needed was the success of their previous games. They have had such a great track record for their souls like games that people were frothing at the mouth to get Elden Ring. Now it helped that Elden Ring itself was a great game but it didn't need marketing because Fromsoft had already built up such a great reputation.

[@grayjedioutcast3550]

FromSoftware marketing: We're making a game...*1 year later*... here's the title of the game with a teaser trailer...*another year later*...here's a story trailer... Miyazaki has some interviews....*some months later*... here's the game. Have fun.

[@Schmackob]

It really was a crazy time in between the announcement and when we finally got a trailer. The memes and fan-made lore, going crazy about it possibly being cancelled and not believing GRRM would actually finish something 😂

[@codingandquesting]

Releasing a good game that also doesn’t try to use FOMO and shady practices so people spread the word of how great the game is. Bout it.

[@TheNerogarden]

Your videos are awesome! I hope that you keep making these, you are excellent at what you do!

[@standheaykic66]

I bet Asmon gonna make 40 minute talking about this video.

[@BelindaErcan]

I couldn’t help but put him in this video. twice 😍

[@DaveRapoza]

all your videos are great!

[@amirmehr151]

This video is amazing and deserves much more views. Great job

[@jaytea1453]

And all this time I thought Disney's alienate your fans was the ultimate strategy to their success.

[@thomasr7129]

It is a delight to watch these videos. Belinda is an amazing narrator - and the story she tells so expertly is one she too obviously finds entertaining. Great work! And thank you for helping promote ideas that need to spread: Make something GOOD, and instead of overpromising, overdeliver. Oh, and ty Fromsoft & all who made ER possible. ;)

[@tabkg5802]

"Sustenance" stage is more know as The great hollowing among the community

[@generalsub7]

Underrated channel

[@kwisatzhaderach9591]

Not to put Elden Ring down, I'm playing the heck out of it now, but Ocarina of time has held the top score of 99 on metacritic since the site started. ER's score of 96 is nothing to sneeze at of course.

[@Espada-gq4fp]

Fromsoft mastered creating video games, people cant tell me otherwise

[@KvapuJanjalia]

The game already has several easy modes - you discover them in-game. Goes by "broken builds".

[@kingj521]

The Game literally marketed itself to me. I had zero interest in the game until 1 month later because my feed was exploding with ER content.

[@sacredgeometry]

There is nothing unusual about it. They just listened to the market.

[@BulletWilliam]

Really liked the premise of the video and how you explain things. Sadly the use of GenAI shows a lack of respect for artists like Miyazaki and his team at FromSoft.

[@lordaizen8004]

You are BY FAR the prettiest “Belinda” I have ever seen. lol Idk why, it’s just one of those names where it just seems to be fitted to somewhat “homely” people 😅 like “Gertrude” or “Bob” 😂 Such insightful and informed content as well!! This, right here, is the WHOLE package!! 📦 👍👍 keep up the good work!!

[@OSTCarmine]

I'd personally be super happy if From went back to something like Dark Souls 1 and built a brand new IP, with the same small tight design as Dark Souls or Bloodborne. Open World is good, but I don't want many more games like Elden Ring

[@justingolatt9750]

Fromsoft marketing: hey we’re making a game Year later: here’s the story Months later: here’s gameplay Year later: ok here’s the game bye

[@joshuatealeaves]

I'm new here. The Vox-esque exposé style editing is awesome lol

[@tallafan4399]

The funniest thing is still hearing ppl complain about HwO hArD tHe GaMe Is and calling it "Bad" cuz they are too bad

[@BelindaErcan]

Some shall not play souls games.

[@tallafan4399]

@@BelindaErcan Exactly

[@Voingous]

Fromsoft fans love fighting the demons in their head and calling it an angry mob

[@tallafan4399]

​@@VoingousI never played the game I am just making fun of QuantumTV

[@Voingous]

@@tallafan4399 I don't know how you can say that and not feel embarrassed.

[@dimmyshelby]

amazing breakdown, love your content imma subbing thank youu

[@LetMeSoloThemER]

I really like your videos, keep it up! As with all things, its not the growth but the quality that produces more growth

[@elijahmaxwell1059]

Excellent video! You've got my subscription! This is excellent journalism! Thank you so much!