Elden Ring gives you a class, a sword and a fight you are meant to lose, then opens a door onto one of the great open worlds. The first hour is disorienting on purpose. You will die, get lost and find something wonderful because you got lost. Money is simple: buy the game, and later decide whether the huge expansion is for you.
The first hour, minute by minute
- 00:00
Download
The base game needs about 60 GB on PC. Only your store account is needed; there is no publisher account to create.
- 00:18
Choose a class
Ten starting classes and a keepsake item. The Vagabond and Samurai are forgiving choices for a first run.
- 00:28
The fight you are meant to lose
The opening boss is scripted to defeat you. It is a statement of intent rather than a test.
- 00:35
The tutorial you might miss
An optional cave under the first graveyard teaches blocking, dodging and heavy attacks. It is worth doing.
- 00:45
Into Limgrave
The world opens. A mounted knight patrols the road ahead; most new players are wise to ride past him for now.
- 01:00
Where you stand
Exploring freely, dying often and finding sites of grace to rest at. The first required story boss is still some hours away.
What the first hour gets right
Elden Ring trusts you. After a brief opening, it steps back and lets you wander into a world with no quest markers and few instructions. The first time you ride across Limgrave and spot a castle, a ruin and a cave all at once, the game has explained itself better than any tutorial could.
It is also more flexible than FromSoftware's earlier games. If a fight is too hard, you can leave, explore somewhere else and come back stronger. Summoning spirit helpers, or other players online, makes the hardest moments manageable.
Where it asks a lot
It is hard, and it doesn't apologise. You will die repeatedly in the first hour, and the game explains very little about its systems. The helpful tutorial is easy to walk past.
There is no cross-play between PC, PlayStation, Xbox and Switch 2, and no Mac version.
Money: editions and add-ons
The base game is £49.99 on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox. Shadow of the Erdtree, the large expansion, is £34.99 on its own, or you can buy both together for £64.99 on Steam. A small Tarnished Pack adds two starting classes and cosmetics for £3.99. On Switch 2, the Tarnished Edition includes everything for £64.99.
Online play is free on PC. On PlayStation it needs PlayStation Plus, from £7.99 a month, on Xbox it needs Game Pass Essential, from £6.99 a month, and on Switch 2 it needs Nintendo Switch Online. The whole game can be played solo and offline without any of them.
Who should play it
Players who love exploring, enjoy a challenge and like working things out for themselves. If frustration spoils games for you, try it on PC or with summons, or choose a gentler adventure.
What we liked, what we didn't
Worth your hour
- One of the great open worlds, full of secrets
- No shop, no currency, no pass
- Summons and exploration make the difficulty flexible
- A superb optional expansion
Watch out for
- Hard from the first minute, with little explanation
- The helpful tutorial is easy to miss
- No cross-play or cross-save between platforms
- Online play on consoles needs a subscription
What Elden Ring really costs
Free, or included in the price
- The whole base game, playable solo and offline
- Online co-op and messages on PC at no extra cost
- Free updates and balance patches
Price list (UK, VAT included)
| Item | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring, base game | £49.99 | Steam, PlayStation and Xbox |
| Shadow of the Erdtree expansion | £34.99 | £32.99 on PlayStation Store at the time of checking |
| Shadow of the Erdtree Edition | £64.99 | Game plus expansion on Steam; £69.99 on consoles |
| Shadow of the Erdtree Deluxe Edition | £84.99 | Adds a digital artbook and soundtrack; £89.99 on consoles |
| Tarnished Pack | £3.99 | Two extra starting classes and cosmetics |
| Tarnished Edition, Switch 2 | £64.99 | Game, expansion and Tarnished Pack |
| PlayStation Plus Essential | £7.99/month | Only for online play on PlayStation |
| Game Pass Essential | £6.99/month | Only for online play on Xbox |
Our month-one advice
Buy the base game on its own. The expansion is best saved until you have finished, or nearly finished, the main game, and it is often discounted. Skip the Deluxe edition unless you want the artbook and soundtrack.
Prices checked 24 September 2026 on the official UK stores. They change with sales and currency updates, so the store checkout price is the one that counts.
How to pay for Elden Ring in the UK · Set a spending limit first
Questions people ask
How much is Elden Ring in the UK?
£49.99 for the base game on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox. The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is £34.99 on its own, and bundles with the game start at £64.99.
Does Elden Ring have microtransactions?
No. There is no in-game shop. The only paid extras are the expansion and the small Tarnished Pack.
Do I need PlayStation Plus to play Elden Ring?
Only for online play on PlayStation. The full game can be played solo and offline without it. Online play on PC is free.
Is Elden Ring on Switch?
On Switch 2, as the Tarnished Edition released in August 2026, which includes the expansion. There is no version for the original Switch.
