Elden Ring has launched in all of its open-world Souls-like glory, with some beautiful graphics and one of the most haunting looking worlds we’ve seen in some time. World-building from Hidetaka Miyazaki has been paired with writing from award-winning novelist and Game of Thrones author, George R.R. Martin.
This has led to some haunting landscapes teamed with a story to get lost in, and players are certainly having fun with the challenges they're facing in the form of bosses like Margit the Fell Omen.
There's every chance you may become so frustrated that you have to recruit a friend to help, and vice versa, but multiplayer can be a little confusing in Elden Ring. Here's everything you need to know about multiplayer co-op and PvP in Elden Ring.
Elden Ring Co-Op Multiplayer
The short answer is yes, co-op multiplayer is available in Elden Ring. Players can invite friends to their world to support them with their adventure. The invited friend will take on the role of a guardian spirit, so their interactions with the host's world will be limited in some ways. For example, guardian spirits will be able to explore, fight, and collect Rune Fragments, but they will not be able to make any form of quest progression or rest.
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To engage in co-op multiplayer in Elden Ring, there are a few roles that participating players must undertake, and items that they will need to fulfil these roles. We've outlined these below.
| Role | Description | Multiplayer Objective | How to Fulfil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host of Fingers | You and your world will host the multiplayer session, whether it is co-op or PvP. | You, and whoever you summon, must defeat the boss in your current area. Dying will return all summoned players to their own world. | Furlcalling Finger Remedy, or Summoning Pool |
| Furled Finger | You will be a co-op ally to the host. | Protect the host and defeat the boss in your current area. | Tarnished Furled Finger or Small Golden Effigy |
| Hunter | You will be a co-op ally to the host. | Your role is to attack any invaders present in the hosting world. | Blue Cipher Ring |
click to enlargeElden Ring PvP and Invasions
Much like other Soulsborne games, Elden Ring also features PvP in the form of honourable duels or invasions. Using an item to leave a sign on the floor, players can request a duel with someone else or request to invade a world. When accepted, the challenging player will be taken to the acceptee's world to duel the host or kill them, and the winner takes home a nice amount of Rune Fragments.
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Players may use PvP play specifically to target more vulnerable players, but there is every chance that players may not be as vulnerable as you first think, leading to some dramatic multiplayer gameplay.
To engage in PvP multiplayer in Elden Ring, there are a few roles that participating players must undertake, and items that they will need to fulfil these roles. We've outlined these below.
| Role | Description | Multiplayer Objective | How to Fulfil |
|---|---|---|---|
| Host of Fingers | You and your world will host the multiplayer session, whether it is co-op or PvP. | You, and whoever you summon, must defeat the boss in your current area. Dying will return all summoned players to their own world. | Furlcalling Finger Remedy, or Summoning Pool |
| Bloody Finger | You invade the hosting world. | You must kill the host before they fulfil their objective. | Bloody Finger or Festering Bloody Figer |
| Recusant | You battle against the host and their allies. | You must kill the host before they reach the boss in your current area. | Recusant Finger |
| Duelist | You place down a summon sign requesting a duel. | You must kill the host. | Duelist's Furled Finger or Small Red Effigy |
That's all you need to know when it comes to playing multiplayer in Elden Ring. For more on the game, check out our guides on the bosses, where to find Golden Seeds, and where to collect Larval Tears. Additionally, don't forget to check out how long Elden Ring takes to beat!
For more articles like this, take a look at our Elden Ring and Guides page.