As I sit here in 2026, reflecting on the monumental journey that was Elden Ring, the whispers of a sequel still echo through the community like spectral bells tolling across the Weeping Peninsula. The game was not just a success; it was a cultural earthquake, reshaping the landscape of open-world action RPGs. While FromSoftware has been diligently nurturing the world with the acclaimed Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, a single, tantalizing phrase from director Hidetaka Miyazaki has set the collective imagination of the Tarnished ablaze. In an exclusive interview within the Elden Ring - Books of Knowledge, Volume II guide, Miyazaki suggested that "some lore bit clarifications and reveals are being saved for future games." This statement, pointed out by the community, hangs in the air like a cryptic message carved into a lost site of grace, leaving us to decipher whether it heralds a full-fledged sequel or more expansions to come.

The Miyazaki Enigma: A Deliberate Hint or a Lore-Filled Mirage?

The quote is a classic Miyazaki maneuver—opaque, intriguing, and perfectly designed to fuel speculation. At first glance, it feels like a confirmation of Elden Ring 2, a beacon in the fog for those of us hungry to return to the Lands Between. The idea that foundational lore secrets are being deliberately withheld feels less like a developer's note and more like a cartographer hiding a crucial fragment of the map for a future expedition. However, as any seasoned player knows, messages left by other players can be misleading. The "future games" Miyazaki mentions could very well refer to additional DLC content beyond Shadow of the Erdtree. Given the studio's current focus on the expansion, this seems a plausible, if less thrilling, interpretation. Yet, the wording nags at the mind. Saving major revelations for entirely new titles is the strategy of a world-builder planning a saga, not just a single story with add-ons.

FromSoftware's Legacy: The Blueprint for a Franchise

Looking at FromSoftware's history is like studying the ancient, interconnected roots of the Erdtree itself. The studio has a proven pattern with its flagship series. Dark Souls grew into a trilogy, each installment expanding the mythos in profound ways. While beloved titles like Bloodborne and Sekiro remain singular masterpieces, Elden Ring’s scale and success mirror the trajectory of Dark Souls. Its commercial and critical reception wasn't a flash in the pan; it was the kindling for a lasting flame. To think that Bandai Namco and FromSoftware would leave this new, richly detailed universe after one main game and a DLC seems almost antithetical to modern gaming's franchise-driven landscape. The world is too vast, the lore too deep. It feels like we've only explored one grand, crumbling cathedral in a continent full of them.

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The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC expanded our horizons, but could it be just the first new branch on a much larger tree?

What Could "Future Games" Entail?

The possibilities for future entries are as varied as the builds in the base game. Miyazaki's comment opens the door to several paths:

  • A Direct Sequel (Elden Ring 2): Continuing the saga post-Shattering, perhaps dealing with the consequences of our Tarnished's ending. Will the new Elden Lord face a threat from the cosmos, or from within the fractured Golden Order itself?

  • A Prequel: Exploring the world during the heyday of the Erdtree, the wars with the dragons, or the tragic fall of the Eternal Cities. This would be like uncovering the pristine, glowing manuscript from which the tattered, bloodstained pages of the current game were torn.

  • A Parallel Story: Focusing on a different continent in the same world, or a different age entirely, with tenuous connections to the original's lore. Imagine a game set in the land of the Numen from which Queen Marika hailed.

The Community's Crucible: Speculation and Hope

Since that interview snippet surfaced, the community's role has been that of a thousand Finger Readers, all interpreting the same ambiguous prophecy. Forums and social media are alight with theories, each more elaborate than the last. This sustained excitement is a testament to the world's hold on us. We're not just waiting for a new game; we're awaiting a new chapter in a mythos we've helped to live in and interpret. The wait for Shadow of the Erdtree taught us patience, but this new hint feels different—it's a promise of a longer journey.

The Shadow of the Erdtree: A Proving Ground

The successful launch and reception of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in 2024/2025 was crucial. It proved that the appetite for more Elden Ring content was insatiable and that FromSoftware could expand the world in meaningful, challenging, and beautiful ways. The DLC was not a mere add-on; it was a statement of intent. It showed that the foundations of this world could support new, weighty structures. Financially and critically, it reaffirmed Elden Ring's status as a titan. In the boardrooms and development studios, this success is the strongest, albeit unspoken, argument for a sequel. A DLC performing like a standalone hit is the business equivalent of a boss weapon dropping from a common enemy—it changes your entire strategy.

Conclusion: The Grace Still Guides Us

So, do I believe Elden Ring 2 is coming? All signs point to a cautious, but overwhelming, yes. Miyazaki's comment is the faint, golden guidance of grace appearing on a path we've long hoped existed. The commercial imperative is there. The creative foundation, deeper than the Siofra River, is there. The fan demand is a roaring furnace. While FromSoftware is rightly secretive, treating game reveals with the solemnity of a sacred ritual, the pieces are aligning. The interview quote is not a mistranslation or a throwaway line; it is a deliberate breadcrumb left by a director who understands the power of mystery. We may have to endure another period of silence, a silence as profound and unsettling as the fog before a boss gate. But when the announcement finally comes, it will be like witnessing a second Shattering—a world-altering event that will once again consume us all. Our journey to become Elden Lord may have ended, but our journey through the lands Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin built is far from over. The next chapter is being saved, meticulously and deliberately, for a future game. And I, for one, will be waiting, controller in hand, ready to die, learn, and triumph all over again.

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The hopeful gaze of the community, forever fixed on the horizon for a sign of the next great adventure.