Elden Ring Definitely Isn't The Most-Played Game Of 2022
Elden Ring, so far, is probably 2022's greatest gaming achievement. FromSoftware has always been a little bit niche, with just enough of a front to keep casual players out of the high-difficulty, punishing adventure. Then, Elden Ring changed everything.
The Lands Between proved too interesting for players to resist, and even now, it's up there with the most talked-about games of the decade. But, interestingly, it's not the most-played of the year. Not by a long shot.
Why Hasn't Elden Ring Made It Into 2022's Most-Played Games?
The most-played games of the first quarter of 2022 have been revealed, and surprisingly, Elden Ring simply hasn't made the cut. Video game industry advisor Mat Piscatella has shared the Top 10 games that have been played this year on console and PC in the US, and Elden Ring is nowhere to be seen.
PlayerPulse has revealed that Minecraft is still topping the charts of games that are being played the most, followed by Grand Theft Auto V and The Sims 4. Fortnite (surprisingly) comes surprisingly behind the EA life sim, with Among Us, Animal Crossing: New Horizons and Call of Duty: Warzone tailing behind those.
Where Is Elden Ring?
This is a surprising statistic, especially considering Elden Ring's whopping launch and sustained popularity has helped it top charts around the globe. It might've had some massive competition to contend with from the multiplayer scene, but still, we'd expected it to land higher than #20.
As Piscatella notes, most of the games on the list haven't even been released this decade, while legacy games like Minecraft and Grand Theft Auto V were huge cultural phenomena that have maintained their stature. It's like competing with Tetris - the competition was so steep that Elden Ring didn't really have a chance, despite its many successes.
Elden Ring still has a chance of making it into the big leagues, but it may have some way to go. After all, it takes a lot for a game to take on Madden, let alone Minecraft. It also raises a question about how the colossus of God of War Ragnarok will do in 2022. For the time being though, we say, "Come on, FromSoftware - we're rooting for you."
