Khizar Mundia 
Bandai Namco is being sued by an Elden Ring player who claims that the game’s difficulty results in players allegedly only being able to play half the game.
Elden Ring, like other titles from FromSoftware, is known for its difficulty. The final boss of the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is arguably the hardest in any FromSoftware game. Struggling in a game like this is common, but the core objective is to get good and overcome those challenges. The thrill of defeating hard bosses is a major reason FromSoftware games have become so popular.
In an odd turn of events, an Elden Ring player has filed a lawsuit against FromSoftware accusing the game of being too difficult. The player also claims a whole new game is inaccessible even to dedicated fans due to the high difficulty.
Is Namco really being sued for Elden Ring difficulty?
Bandai Namco seems to be facing a real court case regarding the difficulty of Elden Ring.
Namco Entertainment is the defendant in a small claims court case in the state of Massachusetts. This follows a player claiming that Elden Ring has a whole new game that is inaccessible due to the high difficulty barrier. The individual posted on 4Chan about the case, claiming there’s a hidden game inside each title from FromSoftware.
The hidden game is allegedly not playable since the difficulty is too high for players to access the game. They used the games Bloodborne and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice as examples when claiming that they were advertised to have more content than the official release.
For example, an alternate, ninja-like outfit for Genichiro Ashina can be found in Sekiro’s art book. He is never seen in this attire in the final release. The user claims his absence means the character is in the “other world.” The nature of the claims has some worried about the health of the individual.
Regardless, this is not a particularly high-stakes lawsuit for Bandai Namco. If the judge rules against the company, the small claims court maximum in Massachusetts is $7,500.
Numbers show that Elden Ring isn’t really that tough
A significant percentage of players have beaten Elden Ring and its toughest optional bosses, despite Bandai Namco being sued for its difficulty.
Though many complain about the difficulty of FromSoftware games, very high percentage of players beat the games. This is seen in publicly viewable achievement and trophy data, which show that around 40% of Elden Ring players have beaten the game. These figures are not available for the DLC, which was also criticized for its difficulty.
Regardless, the case will go in front of a judge on September 25, 2024.
