As a die-hard Tarnished who has poured hundreds of hours into the Lands Between, I'm here to tell you, with absolute certainty, that the next step for Elden Ring shouldn't be a step forward, but a glorious, chaotic leap back in time. Forget a sequel; what we need, what we crave, is a full-blown prequel! The current game's world, as mind-blowing as it is, feels like arriving at the world's most epic party after everyone has already fought, died, and turned the place into a ruin-strewn masterpiece. We're sifting through the aftermath, the lore crumbs. I want to be in the kitchen when the food fight starts! The history we piece together from item descriptions and cryptic NPC mutterings is more tantalizing than a Grace-given site of lost grace. It's a story begging to be lived, not just uncovered.

Elden Ring Needs A Prequel, Not A Sequel: The Case for Looking Back

Let's be real, folks. By the time we, the lowly Tarnished, stagger into the Lands Between, the real show is over. The Golden Order? Tarnished. The demigods? Scattered, mad, or rotting. The Shattering? Ancient history. We're basically archaeologists with swords, trying to understand a cataclysm by studying the rubble. A prequel could smash that dynamic. Imagine exploring the Lands Between when the Erdtree's light truly bathed the world in gold, not this faded, fractured glow. Or, even more insane, a time before the Erdtree! The lore hints at it, and my god, the visual and thematic possibilities are endless. We've seen the decay; now let us witness the zenith so the fall feels even more tragic. That's some next-level, George R.R. Martin-approved storytelling right there.

Just look at Malenia in that image! That's not some dormant power; that's a weapon of mass destruction being deployed in a war we only hear about. A prequel lets us be on the battlefield when that happens. The hype would be unreal!

The Shattering Is The ONLY Setting For An Elden Ring Prequel

If we're going back, there's only one period that matters: The Shattering. This isn't just a war; it's the single event that broke the world. The current game is the quiet, melancholic epilogue. A prequel set during The Shattering would be the explosive, Shakespearean tragedy itself.

Think about it. The Lands Between would be a completely different beast:

• A Living, Breathing Warzone: Not just pockets of enemies, but full-scale battles between factions. Imagine joining Radahn's festival of war before he held the stars, or fighting alongside the Cleanrot Knights before the Scarlet Rot consumed them.

• Choose Your Demigod: This is the big one. The role-playing potential is insane. Instead of a fixed path to become Elden Lord, you could pledge allegiance to a demigod from the start. Want to serve the Golden Lineage under Godrick's more competent ancestors? Go for it. Feel like delving into the primordial crucible with Godwyn? Sign up. This adds immense replayability and emotional weight—you're fighting for a cause, not just gathering runes.

• Witness the Downfall: We could experience the pivotal moments firsthand: the Night of the Black Knives, the shattering of the Elden Ring itself, the first bloom of Malenia's rot. These aren't lore entries; they're playable missions that would redefine our understanding of the characters.

Here’s a quick comparison of the game settings:

Era	Elden Ring (Current Game)	Elden Ring: The Shattering (My Dream Prequel)
World State	Post-apocalyptic, stagnant decay	Active, chaotic war, fading golden age
Primary Goal	Mend the Elden Ring, become Lord	Win the war for your chosen demigod, shape history
NPCs	Isolated, mad, or waiting	Commanders, soldiers, spies, in the heat of conflict
Vibe	Melancholic, lonely exploration	High-stakes political intrigue and epic battlefield chaos

What Could a Prequel Deliver That a Sequel Can't? 🤔

A sequel would likely give us a new map, new characters, and a new threat. Cool, but predictable. A prequel, however, works with established lore to deepen our connection to the world we already love. It's fan service of the highest order—not cheap cameos, but essential backstory.

• Flesh Out Underdeveloped Lore: Places like the Land of Reeds, the Badlands, or the home of the Numen could be proper regions or at least referenced in living contexts, not just exotic armor origins.

• See Legends in Their Prime: General Radahn holding back the stars while fighting a war. Maliketh at the height of his power, a true shadowbound beast. A young, virtuous Morgott defending the capital before being scorned. These encounters would be legendary boss fights with narrative weight we can't get now.

• Answer Lingering Questions: What was Godwyn really like? What exactly happened in the war against the Giants? A prequel can show us, not just tell us.

Sure, FromSoftware is probably cooking up some DLC or even discussing Elden Ring 2 as we speak. But in my humble, obsessed opinion, diving into the past is the most exciting path. The Lands Between's history is a treasure trove of "exciting and complex plots" just waiting to be unlocked. A sequel expands the map; a prequel expands the soul of the universe. After the Colosseum DLC gave us a taste of structured combat, I'm ready for the unstructured, glorious anarchy of the past. Let's not ask "what's next?" Let's demand to know "what happened?!" and then live it. That, my fellow Tarnished, would be the true crown of a FromSoftware masterpiece. Don't give me a new ring; show me how the old one was broken! 🙌