Summary
An ill-fatedElden Ringplayer was hilariously killed in the game due to a Windows license prompt. WhileElden Ringis considered more affable than previous FromSoftware titles, sometimes it’s neither the player nor the game, but the operating system to blame.
Even though it’s two years old,Elden Ring’s popularity has barely waned, and the game’s upcomingShadow of the ErdtreeDLC has the fanbase pumped.Elden Ringwas a new foray for FromSoftware as its first truly open-world game, but it still retained the hallmark Souls formula the studio is renowned for. Part of that formula is an excruciating difficulty setting that can’t be changed, but in the case of oneElden Ringplayer, the reason for defeat has nothing to do with the difficulty, their skills, or even the game itself.
Reddit user Limonek121 recently posted a clip on theElden Ringsubreddit that showed how they were killed in the game because of an intrusive error message at the worst possible time. In the clip, theplayer climbs the steps of the Raya Lucaria Academy, dodging the infamous boulders that barrel down the staircase. After successfully avoiding the first boulder, the player was inches away from the top of the staircase when they were suddenly greeted with a Windows prompt requesting that they activate the operating system’s license.
Too Late to Save Themselves From the Boulder
The prompt took up the entire screen, making the game unresponsive as another boulder was primed to be hurled down the staircase. Limonek121 closed the pop-up as quickly as they could, but it was too late by then. As soon as the game’s controls were restored, the boulder was released and the player could only look up in horror at their impending doom, right before the enormous rock fell right on them, flinging them sideways and killing them instantly. The commenters were especially empathetic towards the unfortunate player, but many credited Limonek121 for the humorous editing of the clip, as it ended right when the boulder heaved the character sideways. Some also shared their own frustrating experiences with Windows glitches intruding theirElden Ringplaythrough and getting the players killed.
Put these foolish ambitions to rest” - Bill Gates, probably.
Pesky operating system prompts are annoying even while doing something as menial as web browsing, so it’s hard to imagine the frustration Limonek121 must’ve felt when the pop-up obstructed them while playingElden Ring, that too during a section that requires some concentration. ManyElden Ringplayers have fallen to the Raya Lucaria Academyboulders, but in this case, Limonek121 fell to Microsoft’s relentless Windows activation requests.
Elden Ring
WHERE TO PLAY
ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
