Elden Ring survey results show players’ fave weapons, bosses, and more

Japan’s Weekly Famitsu conducted a survey on Elden Ring’s players, and published the results in the 12-19 May 2022 issue of the magazine.

The survey was conducted from 9-13 April 2022 and answered by 1700 people. Not all surveyees answered all questions.

See the results visually here:

Elden Ring survey results (visual)

 

The surveyees

There were 1509 male and 161 female surveyees, while 24 answered “other”.

The age group breakdown is as follows:

• 17-19: 152
• 20-24: 187
• 25-29: 333
• 30-34: 317
• 35-39: 296
• 40-44: 238
• 45-49: 122
• Above 50: 55

925 surveyees pre-ordered the game, 327 purchased it on release day, and 444 purchased it after release day.

727 surveyees played the game on the Playstation 4, 595 on the Playstation 5, 312 on the PC, 18 on the Xbox Series X/S, 10 on the Xbox One.

Playtime and levels

The playtime clocked by surveyees are as follows:

• Under 10 hours: 7
• 10-59 hours: 131
• 60-99 hours: 283
• 100-149 hours: 499
• 150-199 hours: 354
• 200-299 hours: 301
• 300 and above hours: 112

Surveyees’ levels are as follows:

• Below 30: 20
• 30-49: 164
• 50-89: 138
• 90-119: 207
• 120-149: 347
• 150 and above: 824

Experience with previous From Software games

Surveyees were asked about which From Software games they previously played

• Demon’s Souls: 699
• DARK SOULS: 740
• DARK SOULS II: 768
• DARK SOULS III: 1035
• Bloodborne: 1023
• SEKIRO: SHADOWS DIE TWICE: 790
• DARK SOULS REMASTERED: 263

The article also notes that players also mentioned older games such as Armored Core and Kings Field, but does not list the numbers for these other titles.

What do players like about Elden Ring?

Surveyees were asked about what they like about the game, and could choose multiple options.

1. The story/world: 1410
2. The field: 1391
3. Exploration: 1225
4. Boss combat: 1189
5. Weapons and armor: 1091
6. Characters (including NPCs): 995
7. Dungeon crawling: 992
8. The size of the map: 956
9. The graphics: 912
10. The ashes of war and weapon skills: 884
11. The music: 841
12.  The spirit ashes: 797
13. The combat balance: 786
14. Sorceries and incantations: 763
15. Character design: 740
16. The horse: 711
17. The leveling system: 682
18. The controls: 560
19. Multiplayer: 469
20. The equipment upgrade system: 458
21. Item crafting: 150

Surveyees could also comment freely on their favorite aspects of the game, with some being:

• How players can all come up with their own ways of playing the game (30s/M)
• The perfect balance for combat, where you can kill even a god when going one-on-one, but can be killed by regular enemies when going up against many (20s/M)
• A first-time From Software player enjoys the difficulty and the worldbuilding, saying that it is obtuse in a good way (30s/F)
• The world being revealed to the player bit by bit through flavor text (30s/F)
• How the gameplay can feel completely different depending on the player’s stats (30s/M)
• How allowing the game is in letting the player cover for lack of skill with other features (40s/M)

First class chosen

Surveyees were asked what class they chose the first time they played the game.

1. Vagabond: 427
2. Samurai: 424
3. Prisoner: 153
4. Confessor: 127
5. Astrologer: 126
6. Wretch: 108
7. Hero: 101
8. Warrior: 92
9. Bandit: 75
10. Prophet: 53

Surveyees could also comment freely on why they chose their classes:

• Vagabond: “Prioritizing balance for the first playthrough” (20s/M); “Wanted a quality build warrior focusing on vigor and endurance for the early game” (20s/M)
• Samurai: “The references to SEKIRO” (30s); “The design and how it starts with a shield, bow, and dex weapon” (30s/M)
• Prisoner: “I wanted to play as a magic knight, and the helmet is very unique” (20s/F); “Roleplaying reasons” (20s/M)
• Confessor: “I loved Bloodborne and liked the idea of a secret hit squad for the church” (20s/M)
• Astrologer: “I played a pure strength build in the other games and wanted to try something different” (20s/M); “I’m bad at melee and wanted to be able to fight at range” (20s/M)
• Wretch: “Easier to come up with builds” (40s/M)
• Hero: “Pure strength” (20s/M)
• Warrior: “I used a dual sword build in Dark Souls III, and Warrior starts with dual swords” (30s/M); “I always use dex builds” (30s/M)
• Bandit: “I wanted to try stealth with bows, and thought that having high arcane would open up more options later in the game” (30s/M); “Small shield for parrying and a bleed weapon” (30s/M)
• Prophet: “With how large the fields is, being able to heal seemed important” (40s/M); “I always Umbasa first in every Souls game” (20s/M)

Most prioritized stats

Surveyees were asked what stats they prioritized in their builds, and could choose multiple options.

1. Vigor: 1243
2. Endurance: 710
3. Dexterity: 678
4. Strength: 620
5. Intelligence: 440
6. Mind: 334
7. Arcane: 276
8. Faith: 220

Favorite weapon types

Surveyees were asked about their favorite weapon types (shields included), and could choose multiple options.

1. Katanas: 841
2. Greatswords: 641
3. Medium shields: 504
4. Staves: 411
5. Curved swords: 389
6. Colossal swords: 385
7. Sacred seals: 333
8. Bows: 324
9. Greatshields: 281
10. Straight swords: 280
11. Spears: 252
12. Curved greatswords: 227
13. Colossal weapons: 224
14. Daggers: 198
15. Axes: 191
16. Thrusting swords: 184
17. Twinblades: 177
18. Hammers: 167
19. Great hammers: 131
20. Halberds: 128
21. Heavy thrusting swords: 116
22. Small shields: 107
23. Reapers: 100
24. Crossbows: 100
25. Great spears: 89
26. Flails: 84
27. Great bows: 82
28. Whips: 81
29. Torches: 64
30. Greataxes: 60
31. Claws: 59
32. Light bows: 49
33. Ballistae: 42
34. Fists: 39
35. Great Claws: 8

There is no such weapon type as “Great Claw” in the game, and seems to have been added to the survey in error.

Favorite weapon skills/ashes of war

Surveyees were asked what their favorite weapon skills and ashes of war were, and could choose up to five. Only the top fifteen are listed.

1. Bloodhound Step: 589
2. Transient Moonlight: 228
3. Parry: 192
4. Corpse Piler: 190
5. Hoarfrost Stomp: 189
6. Flame of the Redmanes: 170
7. Bloody Slash: 120
8. Sword Dance: 115
9. Seppuku: 101
10. Golden parry: 92
11. Moonlight greatsword: 89
12. Unsheathe: 88
13. Giant Hunt: 83
14. Starcaller Cry: 47
15. Royal Knight’s Resolve: 37

Favorite sorceries and incantations

Surveyees were asked what their favorite sorceries and incantations were, and could choose up to five. Only the top fifteen spots are listed (tied entries count for one spot).

1. Comet Azur: 240
2. Golden Vow: 190
3. Adula’s Moonblade: 163
4. Rock Sling: 152
5. Flame, Cleanse Me: 137
6. Glintstone Pebble: 134
7. Loretta’s Greatbow: 116
8. Flame, Grant Me Strength: 115
9. Meteorite of Aster: 94
10. Lightning Spear/Ranni’s Dark Moon: 86（Tie）
11. Great Glintstone Shard: 83
12. Rotten Breath／Comet: 81（Tie）
13. Frenzied Burst: 80
14. Stars of Ruin: 72
15. Night Maiden’s Mist: 63

Favorite talismans

Surveyees were asked what their favorite talismans were, and could choose up to five. Only the top fifteen are listed.

1. Erdtree’s Favor: 457
2. Shard of Alexander: 305
3. Great-Jar’s Arsenal: 278
4. Gold Scarab: 274
5. Dragoncrest Greatshield Talisman: 216
6. Graven-Mass Talisman: 174
7. Carian Filigreed Crest: 144
8. Radagon’s Soreseal: 140
9. Radagon Icon: 119
10. Claw Talisman: 105
11. Lord of Blood’s Exultation: 103
12. Green Turtle Talisman: 98
13. Greatshield Talisman: 91
14. Blessed Dew Talisman: 68
15. Assassin’s Crimson Dagger: 59

Favorite spirit ashes

Surveyees were asked what their favorite spirit ashes were, and could choose up to five. Only the top fifteen are listed.

1. 1. Mimic Tear Ashes: 721
   2. Black Knife Tiche: 586
   3. Spirit Jellyfish Ashes: 308
   4. Latenna the Albinauric: 164
   5. Lone Wolf Ashes: 137
   6. Greatshield Soldier Ashes: 128
   7. Skeletal Militamen Ashes: 124
   8. Lhutel the Headless: 106
   9. Banished Knight Oleg Ashes: 99
   10. Redmane Knight Ogha: 68
   11. Nightmaiden & Swordstress Puppets: 67
   12. Rotten Stray Ashes: 64
   13. Ancient Dragon Knight Kristoff Ashes: 44
   14. Marionette Soldier Ashes: 33
   15. Soldjars of Fortune Ashes: 29

NPCs that left the strongest impressions

Surveyees were asked which NPCs left the strongest impressions on them, and could choose up to five. Only the top fifteen are listed.

1. Ranni the Witch: 918
2. Iron Fist Alexander: 579
3. Blaidd: 335
4. Millicent: 266
5. Melina: 260
6. Patches: 242
7. Sorceress Sellen: 204
8. Rya: 164
9. Blackguard Big Boggart: 95
10. Smithing Master Hewg: 94
11. Hyetta: 86
12. White Mask Varre: 82
13. War Counselor Iji: 78
14. Diallos: 59
15. Enia: 53

Enemies that left the strongest impressions

Surveyees were asked which enemies left the strongest impressions on them, and could choose up to five. Only the top fifteen are listed.

1. Starscourge Radahn: 687
2. Malenia, Blade of Miquella: 658
3. Margit, the Full Omen: 443
4. Tree Sentinel: 216
5. Maliketh, the Black Blade: 206
6. Elden Beast: 188
7. Godrick the Grafted: 176
8. Crucible Knight: 158
9. Radagon of the Golden Order: 149
10. Hoarah Loux, Warrior: 137
11. Mohg, Lord of Blood: 110
12. Rennala, Queen of the Full Moon: 101
13. Rykard, Lord of Blasphemy: 68
14. Godfrey, First Elden Lord: 66
15. Fire Giant: 57

Areas that left the strongest impressions

Surveyees were asked which areas left the strongest impressions on them, and could choose up to five. Only the top fifteen are listed.

1. Caelid: 456
2. Limgrave: 409
3. Leyndell, Royal Capital: 375
4. Nokron, Eternal City: 200
5. Stormveil Castle: 172
6. Altus Plateau: 153
7. Lake of Rot: 139
8. Academy of Raya Lucaria: 106
9. Mohgwyn Palace: 76
10. Subterranean Shunning-Grounds: 73
11. Liurnia of the Lakes: 72
12. Miquella’s Haligtree: 70
13. Siofra River: 67
14. Volcano Manor: 58
15. Mountaintops of the Giants: 52

Favorite online features

Surveyees were asked what their favorite online features are, and could choose multiple answers.

1. Messages: 1015
2. Cooperative multiplayer: 746
3. Bloodstains: 547
4. Illusions: 502
5. Intrusion multiplayer: 293
6. Hostile multiplayer: 169

Other comments

Surveyees were asked for any additional comments they had on the game, and several were published in the magazine, such as:

• “I want a prequel game.” (20s/M)
• “I’m looking forward to DLC or a large update.” (30s/M)
• “I’ve played for 160 hours, but I’m only about halfway through the story. The size of this game is amazing.” (20s/M)
• “I want a sequel taking place in this same world.” (40s/M)
• “It would be nice if there could be an official relationship chart for the characters or explanation of the story.” (40s/F)
• “I like how there are optional dungeons all over, leaving it up to the player whether to clear them or not. The dungeon design was also great, with enough variety so as to not tire the player. One thing I would have liked is more types of dungeons, however.” (40s/F)
• “There’s a huge world and freedom of how to go about. I also like how, thanks to the horse, it doesn’t feel lonely travelling around, and it doesn’t feel as dark as previous games.” (40s/M)
• “Multiplayer connections are not stable, I hope this gets fixed soon.” (30s/M)

 

Also see:

Two years in, new Elden Ring survey shows players’ fave weapons, bosses, and more

Elden Ring Director Miyazaki Interview (Part 1): Discussing the Story and G.R.R. Martin’s Involvement