Elden Ring Map Size: How Big Are The Lands Between?
You wonder how big is the Elden Ring map, as when you first enter the Lands Between, it seems like one of the largest worlds that gaming has ever seen. The key to Elden Ring's map is its scale, thanks to the towering mountains, huge castles, and the corpses of giants that litter parts of the world. This game is truly as gigantic as its scope, but how big is it in comparison to some of the other most popular open-world maps we have seen in the past? Here's a breakdown of the Elden Ring map size compared with other open-world titles to help answer, how big is the Elden Ring map?
- The Elden Ring map is massive, and what's more, they hide so much of it away. To learn how to get to the Consecrated Snowfield, check out our guide on the Elden Ring Haligtree Medallion.
Elden Ring Map Size: Grand Theft Auto 5 Comparison
Click to enlargeYou can't really compare open-world games without bringing up Los Santos from Grand Theft Auto 5. Even coming up on a decade since its release, GTA 5 is still one of the best and most popular open-worlds in video games. For comparison, the Lands Between in Elden Ring is slightly bigger than all of Los Santos, including the playable sea area that surrounds it. Both maps have a lot of detail and variety, despite being vastly different settings.
While the scale is relatively similar, Elden Ring is just a bit bigger and certainly takes longer to get around. Unfortunately, Torrent isn't quite as fast as a supercar. Or a billion-dollar military fighter jet.
- A good way to get a tour of the Lands Between is to complete a quest that takes you all over the map. To do so, you can find out how in our Elden Ring Millicent guide.
Elden Ring Map Size: Cyberpunk 2077 Comparison
Click to enlargeNow to a more recent open-world set in a massive city. In fact, a megacity from the future. Cyberpunk 2077 has its share of issues but size is not one of them. Night City is a dystopian future city on the coast of California, where much of the world is ruined but city-states like Night City have flourished, becoming densely populated, and highly dangerous, hubs of humanity. Fittingly, the map of Cyberpunk 2077 is bigger in square miles than Elden Ring by about 25%.
Including the vast desert surrounding this colossal city, the playable area of Cyberpunk 2077 easily exceeds the Lands Between.
- Like Skyrim, Elden Ring has a big magical school that you need to get into. While you're heading there, why not get yourself some useful stuff like the Erudition gesture by completing the Elden Ring Thops quest.
Elden Ring Map Size: Skyrim Comparison
Click to enlargeIf you ever needed a visual depiction of how far open-world fantasy RPGs have come in a decade, look at the speck that Skyrim is next to the Lands Between. Elden Ring absolutely dwarfs the still very impressive map of Skyrim, and just goes to show how much you can pack into a well-designed open world.
Seeing this comparison, as rough as it may be, has some seriously interesting ramifications for Elder Scrolls 6. It would be hard to imagine Bethesda creating a world as richly detailed as even Skyrim on the scale of Elden Ring or Red Dead Redemption 2, but then where will ES6 fall in terms of size? Hopefully, we will find out sooner rather than later.
- You can build your character to be like Geralt in Elden Ring, and we can make it easier for you with our Elden Ring Confessor build.
Elden Ring Map Size: The Witcher 3 Comparison
Click to enlargeThis is a bit of a tricky comparison to make, but we couldn't include Night City without including CD Projekt Red's other massive world. The continent found in The Witcher 3 is a massive place. I mean it is a continent, it should be massive. While the overall map of the continent far exceeds the size of the Lands Between, the playable area isn't quite as big.
Adding together the explorable areas of Velen, Novigrad, the Skellige Isles, White Orchard, Kaer Morhen and even the DLC region of Toussaint, The Witcher 3's map comes close but not quite as big as Elden Ring.
- If you want to be a Bandit like your favourite boy Arthur Morgan, but do so in Elden Ring, check out our guide Elden Ring Bandit build guide.
Elden Ring Map Size: Red Dead Redemption 2 Comparison
Click to enlargeNow, for the big one. In terms of matching size with detail, there really is nothing that compares to Red Dead Redemption 2. In terms of square footage, RDR2 is roughly 50% larger than Elden Ring. Both games have a similar range of biomes, albeit with more realistic tones in Red Dead. They are also similar in how open and wild the terrain is, with minimal civilization cluttering up the place.
The main differences between these two maps are form and function. They both feature stunning vistas and glorious landscapes, but in Red Dead Redemption 2 those are often just that, setting for a gorgeous game. Elden Ring often feels more purposeful, if you see a structure or a path off in the distance, there is almost always a reason to check those out. One wants you to explore to find hidden secrets, the other wants you to explore for exploration's sake. Both are valid, both are wonderful.
There you have it, the Lands Between of Elden Ring compared to some of the most prominent open worlds in all of gaming. If you are out exploring Elden Ring, you will want to fill out that map with map fragments. To learn more, check out our guide on finding all the Elden Ring map fragments.
