Rumour: Elden Ring Looks to Be Soley Owned by FromSoftware

According to a trademark filing in the US and UK, FromSoftware is the sole owner of Elden Ring IP.

Rumour: Elden Ring Looks to Be Soley Owned by FromSoftware

FromSoftware looks to have taken full ownership of the Elden Ring IP according to a trademark that shows the developer listed without its publisher Bandai Namco. Originally both FromSoftware and Bandai Namco shared ownership over the franchise but as of April 2023 dated on the document that is no longer the case. But what would a trademark shift mean?

The One and Only

Elden Ring was released with massive acclaim, being a highly anticipated game by souls fans. The title has gone on to sell over 20 million copies worldwide since its launch on February 25 2022, for platforms PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. With this success meant the expansion of the studio, which could be an indicator of major things coming down the pipeline.

Being the sole owner means FromSoftware has full control over the future of the Elden Ring IP. Recently there have been rumours Tencent was interested in developing a mobile title based on the game. The free to play game would apparently be similar to other major mobile titles such as Genshin Impact. This would also mean From would have their say on the vision of future Elden Ring projects.

It also should be noted, that in Japan Elden Ring is published under FromSoftware Inc., while outside of Japan such as in the US and Europe it’s been published under Bandai Namco Entertainment. Tencent in 2022 had acquired roughly one-third of FromSoftware, owning 16.25% of their shares. Sony still owns 14.09%, with the rest being owned by From’s parent company Kadokawa Corp.

Looking to the Future

FromSoftware has already announced plans for an expansion called Shadow of the Erdtree but has not announced when we can expect the DLC to drop. Of course, there has been lots of speculation about a release happening this month, which marks the second anniversary of the game. The DLC was also announced just one year after the release of Elden Ring. There have also been some murmurs of Steam backend updates, which could indicate they readying something, but nothing has been confirmed by the developer.

The only official word has been through their parent company Kadowaka’s financial earning report, the most recent being that they are “working hard on the development” but “don’t have a release date at this time”. Back in December 2023, Yasuhiro Kitao also shared a similar sentiment mentioning in an interview at the PS Partner Awards 2023, that the DLC is “still some way off” but still progressing well.

Bandai Namco’s CEO Yasuo Miyakawa had previously expressed interest in “expanding beyond the realm of games” for the new IP which could mean many different possibilities. But with FromSoftware seemingly at the helm, it would be their decision to decide where to go. An Elden Ring film adaptation anyone? Who would you choose to play Malenia? Would G.R.R. Martin be involved in a screenplay adaptation? So many questions.

What’s in the Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion?

We already made our prediction last year that the Elden Ring DLC would be dropping around February or March 2024. We are now over half way through Feb, we still haven’t heard any confirmation of a release date.

What exactly is in the expansion is currently unknown but could potentially have further content such as new weapons, armor, bosses, enemies and even a location. A brand new expansion could mean a further area to explore and expect plenty more lore to hit. None of this is confirmed of course and we’ll have to wait for the developer to spill the details as we draw closer to its launch. Since the title focuses on the Erdtree’s shadow, there could be more looming death in its wake.

Major Milestones

Elden Ring has already made a number of major milestones which include celebrating its first major anniversary in Stockholm in 2023. The one-year mark was a great a time as any to make a major unveiling of Erdtree size proportions. This announcement was great news for fans, and of course we’ll be filling up our wiki with all the latest info as it releases.

If you’re curious to know when we believe ER Shadow of the Erdtree will be released check out next Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree – Where is the Expansion? We go over what we know, what could be in the next DLC and more. In the meantime you can check out why the game remains a colossal giant in the souls sphere: