Elden Ring: Prologue

It probably doesn't come as a shock that I picked up Elden Ring, though it might be a little surprising that I went to the early release, having pre-ordered the game. Preorders are generally a terrible thing, rewarding people for something just existing, not the quality of that work. However, the beta test that they were doing late last year was overwhelmingly positive. I haven't seen that kind of enthusiasm for things in years, so I was willing to take a risk. 

When I checked in for my place in line, they put a sticker on my receipt and then gave me a little promo tchotchke. No idea what it was: It was a tiny black bag in a plastic wrapper, probably the size of a silver dollar, and I immediately pocketed this thing I didn't really want and didn't know I was going to get. 

I went outside to wait, and saw another fellow waiting with his girlfriend. All of us with our masks on, just floating outside the doors, knowing why we're here but not talking about it. Until he asked me "Elden Ring?"

So we got to chat a little and he asked me if I had pre-ordered it. "Yeah, last Saturday, actually."

"Aww, man. I didn't do it until Tuesday and then I couldn't get the promo item!"

Promo item? 

"You mean this?" I ask him, pulling out my tchotchke with a little 'what this silly thing' vibe. 

"Yes! Hey. Would you sell that to me?"

"Uh...sure, maybe-"

"I'll give you $10 for it."

"Dude, it's yours!"

And he handed me a tenner, and I thought 'hey that's cool' until his girlfriend said to me "You have no idea how happy you've made him."

Which is absolutely true! But it made him happy, which is great, so that's what I said. This thing would've just been clutter to me-but it made a stranger happy and ten bucks is ten bucks! 

Then, as the time drew near and a crowd of about sixty (60!) people lined up, the fellow I'd sold my promo piece to was first in line-because they handed out numbers and this cat had been waiting for awhile-and I got to chat a little with other people who were psyched. Some of them were brand new to the world of From Software games, others old hands at them but it was neat to talk to people.

Which is what I thought about on my walk home. The memories I'll take away from this game are about, still, the people I interact with because of it. 

That's pretty cool.