Elden Ring's developers know most players use guides, still try to cater to those who go in blind

FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki says reading guides is "perfectly valid," but doesn't want it to be a necessity.

[Goodguy01]

It's open world and filled with content so that's a given. Bosses I always wanna go blind asides from following a guide to only find optional bosses after I've beaten the game. Pretty sure there's still loads of content I haven't discovered yet in the base game lol.

[blackblades]

I only use guides when I'm stuck some where for a long period of time or trophy hunting which is rare cause I had retired that.

[Cacabunga]

I first finish a game, then use a guide for the missable stuff..
Only game I used guide from beginning was Crisis Core reunion where it’s impossible to do on your own and where every single thing is missable

[The_Hooligan]

I use a guide to see if there are any missable trophies. If there are, I will make sure to use the guide to get them but if there are none then I don't use the guide at all and just go explore the way I want to.

[-Foxtrot]

To be fair I think a lot only use guides because they don't want to be locked out of side missions or endings.

I love the game but trying to find certain NPC's and the like as you play through the game felt like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

A simple "quest tracker" would be handy, just to give you a hint at where to go, where you last found them, if you've locked yourself out of not. Not flashy or anything, just something you can find on your map when you open it.

[fsfsxii]

just play ubisoft titles where everyone's a winner and stop complaining about minute shit like always

[Dudeson]

Come on man... Among all the unnecessary complaining that gamers do, not wanting to miss things in a game you like is actually a valid concern. I love from software games, but you gotta admit some things can just be too damn hidden to find without a hint. I love stumbling upon things myself, but missing out is not an option either.

[GaboonViper]

Nope never use guides, what i love about games is discovering the mysteries and magic of the Worlds, i remember the great Shigeru Miyamoto saying as young boy he would love exploring woods and caves and finding things and he wanted to expand that to games as in Zelda.

[Walalon]

The sense of discovery it's one of big strengths of Elden Ring... Looking for every cave, NPC and even the surprise dragons on zones are an awesome time. Now with the DLC around the corner this feeling it's going to start up again, can't wait!

[franwex]

I never use guides, unless it’s something that I’m stuck on-that I know I will resolve with enough time-but I don’t feel that the time is worth the investment. Such as a side quest for better gear.

[Hotpot]

I use guide because in my adult life I can barely get 2 hours of gameplay a day. Can’t waste those 2 hours floundering about, or worse, accidentally make irreversible decision that makes the rest of playthrough full of regret. Usually only for missables though, it’s not like I want to read guides every 5 minutes of playing.

[Tedakin]

I had to use guides at some points in Elden Ring. There are some bosses, powers, etc that I have no idea how you'd ever find without looking it up.

[H9]

Thank you so much Fromsoftware, people say that every game needs to be for "everybody" yet ignore those like us who like to go blind and struggle to find their way and understand what's going on

[Nacho_Z]

It's tricky to find the balance between finding things out for yourself and not missing out on loads of good stuff in a game you don't intend to replay any time soon. With Dark Souls I'd do one blind playthrough then go into NG+ using a guide, ER was too big for that method for me.

[anast]

I always do the first couple play-throughs blind and then I use YT for the fiddley things.