Is the World of Elden Ring a Sequel to Dark Souls?

18 April 2026

If you’ve ever found yourself wandering the eerie ruins of Lothric in _Dark Souls 3_ and then jumped into the sprawling, haunting Lands Between in _Elden Ring_, you’ve probably asked yourself: _“Wait a minute… is this the same world?”_ You’re not alone. Since Elden Ring dropped, fans all over have been diving deep into lore videos, fan theories, and developer interviews, trying to untangle the connections between these two iconic FromSoftware titles.

So let’s talk about it: is _Elden Ring_ actually a sequel to _Dark Souls_? Or is it something entirely different? Buckle up and grab your Estus Flask—we’re diving deep into this rabbit hole.

A Quick Refresher: What’s Elden Ring and What’s Dark Souls?

Before we get lost in lore talk, let’s just set the scene.

Dark Souls is a gritty, punishing action RPG series developed by FromSoftware. It’s infamous for its brutal difficulty, minimal handholding, and deep, often cryptic lore. The Dark Souls series spans three main games and a whole bunch of DLCs. The world is bleak, cyclical, and full of gods, dragons, and cursed undead.

Elden Ring, on the other hand, is FromSoftware’s latest masterpiece, co-created with none other than _Game of Thrones_ author George R.R. Martin. It’s an open-world action RPG built on the same DNA as Dark Souls but cranked up to eleven. It features an expansive, gorgeous world known as the Lands Between, filled with monsters, myth, and madness.

It’s Not a Sequel… But It’s Complicated

So here’s the deal: officially, _Elden Ring is not a direct sequel_ to Dark Souls.

FromSoftware has made it clear that Elden Ring is a brand-new IP. It has its own world, characters, and lore. So, no, you’re not going to find Solaire chilling in a cave somewhere telling you to “praise the sun.”

But—and this is a big but—there are so many similarities that it’s hard not to feel like Elden Ring is the spiritual, thematic, and mechanical successor to Dark Souls. Think of it like this: Elden Ring is the _cooler, more open-minded cousin_ of Dark Souls who went backpacking across a fantasy world and came back with a bunch of new ideas.

Shared DNA: Why Elden Ring Feels Like Dark Souls 4

Let’s dig into the reasons why so many people feel like Elden Ring could be seen as a “soft sequel.”

1. Gameplay Mechanics That Feel Oh-So-Familiar

If you’ve played Dark Souls, firing up Elden Ring feels like coming home—albeit to a much larger, more dangerous neighborhood.

- Rolling and dodging? Check.
- Stamina management? Still very much a thing.
- Bonfires (now Sites of Grace)? Yep, they’re back.
- Estus Flasks? They’re now called Flasks of Crimson and Cerulean Tears, but the idea is the same.
- Boss fights that make you question your life choices? Oh yeah. They’re here, and they bite hard.

It’s clear that the core combat and exploration systems were built on the strong foundation of Dark Souls. Elden Ring just adds layers of verticality, a jump button (finally!), mounted combat, and the freedom to go wherever your spirit yearns—just maybe don’t go into Caelid too early. Trust me on that.

2. Lore Themes That Echo Loudly

If you love piecing together lore (you absolute legend), you’ll notice that Elden Ring carries many themes familiar to Dark Souls fans:

- The concept of decaying divinity: In Dark Souls, gods have fallen, and power is rotten at its core. Same in Elden Ring—Queen Marika, the Greater Will, and the demigods are a mess of ambition, betrayal, and decaying systems of power. Sounds familiar, right?

- Undeath and Rebirth: While Dark Souls had the Undead Curse and cycles of linking the Flame, Elden Ring has the Tarnished, beings exiled from the grace of the Erdtree. They return to reclaim a lost glory—much like the Chosen Undead of yore.

- World Cycles: In both games, the world is on the verge of collapse. There’s an endless cycle of rot, failed leadership, and constant rebirth. It feels like the same thesis told from a different lens.

3. Recurring Visual and Design Elements

Okay, this one’s juicy.

You can’t wander around Elden Ring without doing double takes. “Was that castle design in Anor Londo?” “Didn’t I fight a boss just like that in Dark Souls 3?”

You’re not hallucinating. FromSoftware loves reusing design motifs, and they’ve brought a truckload of them into Elden Ring:

- Giant swords impaled into the ground? Very Dark Souls.
- Crumbling architecture overtaken by nature? Straight from Lordran or Drangleic.
- Gigantic, grotesque bosses with tragic backstories? That’s the Soulsborne bread and butter.

And then there are the statues and items that _really_ push fans to theorize. Certain weapon designs and even item descriptions feel like subtle nods to Dark Souls. Are they Easter eggs or clues to a shared universe? That’s up to you to decide.

George R.R. Martin’s Influence: A New Flavor

Here’s where Elden Ring takes a detour.

Unlike Dark Souls, which was fully penned by Hidetaka Miyazaki and FromSoft’s internal team, Elden Ring’s mythos was partially shaped by George R.R. Martin. He created the backstory and helped flesh out the world’s foundation—before the age of the player even begins.

The result? Elden Ring’s world feels more _mythological_ than _apocalyptic_. There’s a sense of a lost golden age, similar to Tolkien’s Middle-earth, with torn remnants of once-great legacies. It’s less about constant decay and more about picking up the shattered pieces of a divine order broken by ambition and war.

It’s not better or worse—just different. Think _Dark Souls meets high fantasy Shakespearean drama_, and you’re in the right mindspace.

Fan Theories: Is the World of Elden Ring a Future Version of Dark Souls?

This is where it gets wacky—in the best way.

Some fans believe Elden Ring might actually be set in a far-flung future of the Dark Souls universe. The evidence? It’s mostly symbolic and thematic, but it’s there:

- The Erdtree could be like the First Flame—a new expression of divine power.
- Tarnished are like resurrected Undead, drawn to a dying world.
- The golden grace might be a future form of the Souls humanity used to collect.
- Even Melina's eye and some NPCs have eerie similarities to characters from the Souls games.

Is it true? Probably not. But the fun of FromSoft stories is that they leave _just enough open_ for us to go wild with speculation.

Elden Ring: A Love Letter to Dark Souls Fans

If you're a Dark Souls fan, playing Elden Ring feels like you’ve leveled up into a more vast and rich experience. Everything that made Souls special—challenging enemies, obscure lore, and rewarding exploration—is there. Now it’s just been given wings and let loose in an endless open world.

FromSoftware didn’t copy and paste their past. Instead, they built on it. They took what worked and gave it room to breathe. And in doing so, they created something both familiar and new—kind of like upgrading your old sword into something legendary.

So, Is the World of Elden Ring a Sequel to Dark Souls?

Let’s bring it home.

No, Elden Ring is not a direct sequel to Dark Souls. You won’t find Gwyn’s long-lost cousin running a shop in Limgrave, and there’s no mention of Lordran in the lore. The worlds, mythologies, and timelines are all distinct.

But emotionally and spiritually? Heck yes. Elden Ring 100% feels like the next evolution of what made Dark Souls so special. It’s the big brother who graduated, moved out, and started changing the world—but still carries the same heart.

So, if you're waiting for Dark Souls 4, you might be missing the point. We got it—it’s just wearing a different name, riding on a spectral steed, and carrying a Greatsword that’s probably way too heavy for your build.

And honestly? That’s even cooler.

Final Thoughts: It Doesn’t Have to Be a Sequel to Be Connected

At the end of the day, you don’t need Elden Ring to be a sequel to Dark Souls for it to resonate on the same frequency. What matters is that it makes you feel the same sense of wonder, dread, and triumph.

Whether you’re lighting a bonfire or touching Grace, the soul (pun intended) of the experience lives on—and that’s what makes FromSoftware games unforgettable.

So go kindle that fire—uhh, I mean, _touch the Grace_.