The free Elden Ring update adds a PvP Colosseum in which to murder other players
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FromSoftware’s games are not for the faint hearted. With grueling boss fights and punishing consequences galore, the litany of unspoken Soulslike-specific rules can be seriously off-putting to newcomers. Well, you’ll see what you’re made of now that a dedicated PvP arena is coming to Elden Ring.
Despite its division, Elder ring has held its own in the gaming zeitgeist since its release in February 2022 – and it’s finally getting a free content update.
Just one day before release, FromSoftware aannounced the Colosseum update (opens in new tab). The teaser trailer shows off arena-based combat and tells us that players will be able to “fight for glory in new PvP modes”. Now you can go back to Elden Ring and experience a lesser-known corner of The Lands Between, where humans are the real villains.
However, those who have fought their way through the other Souls games should find these PvP arenas familiar; FromSoftware seems quite fond of Gladiator, and pitting its players against each other in general
FromSoftware, with love
Christmas comes early to the Lands Between. The Colosseum update is free for all current owners of Elden Ring whether they are on Xbox Series X│S, PS5 or PC.
From the trailer, you can head to PvP-specific arenas to duke it out with other online players. It appears to allow for both 1v1 and 2v2 gameplay, with the characters in the trailer calling in allies to the rescue.
Of course, this is nothing new to longtime Souls fans. We first saw arenas introduced in the Dark Souls: Prepare To Die Edition back in 2012, when the PC version saw the introduction of the Battle of Stoicism gazebo.
Players first had to defeat a mini-boss, Artorias the Abysswalker, before gaining access to the gazebo. Likewise, Dark Souls 3 saw the return of PvP specific zones in the form of the Hollow Arena, but you needed the Ringed City DLC or the Ashes of Ariandel Season Pass to enter the arena. The two modes, Duel and Brawl, gave players the choice between a straightforward 1v1 scenario or a chaotic six-person free-for-all.
Judging by FromSoftware’s track record, and since this update is free, those looking to fight each other in the Elden Ring arena will likely have to slay yet another giant beast before they prove themselves worthy of the Colosseum. You may want to get a fresh one Elden Ring armor set; something stable this way is coming on December 7th.