George R. R. Martin Debunks Major Elden Ring Fan Theory
George R.R. Martin is considered one of the most influential fantasy authors in recent years, penning the series that led to "Game of Thrones" and planning to continue work on spinoff television series for the next several years. He even sat down to work with FromSoftware visionary Hidetaka Miyazaki to help develop the lore of "Elden Ring," which has turned out to be a success both with critics and fans alike. Many gamers have questioned just how involved Martin was in the development of "Elden Ring," especially after he made comments that left fans scratching their heads, suggesting that he hasn't hadn't been involved in the game for years. However, many fans speculated that Martin left traces of himself throughout the landscape, demonstrating a more hands-on approach than initially thought. Unfortunately, Martin has stepped back into the public eye to confirm that he has not, in fact, had as heavy of a hand in development as many thought.
Many gamers thought that Martin might have had a hand in naming the bosses of "Elden Ring," and some even speculated that he included a fun detail for fans to pick up on within the game. One fan theory speculated that Martin named the main bosses of "Elden Ring" after himself, as each one has a name beginning with a G, an R, or an M. From Margit to Rennala to Godrick, each Demigod boss only seemed to further confirm the initial-based theory. However, the author said in a recent blog post, that's simply not the case.
George R. R. Martin: 'Eh? What? Really?'
George R.R. Martin posted a blog on March 21, updating fans on his life and what he's working on professionally. First, Martin set out to correct a few assumptions about books he's planning to release soon, like the new "The Rise of the Dragon," which he described as an art book with lush fantasy visuals. He also commented on "House of the Dragon," which is set to debut in 2022 as well. Then, Martin got to the interesting part for gaming audiences: "Elden Ring."
"Oh, and as long as I am setting stuff straight, there's a weird story all over the internet about how I 'hid' my initials in ELDEN RING ...," Martin began. "To which I say, 'Eh? What? Really?' This was news to me." Martin noted that he's been publishing stories for decades, and that after a while creating name after name becomes increasingly difficult. "I suspect that I have been giving characters names beginning with R and G and M since the start. Along with the other twenty-three letters of the alphabet as well," the author said cheekily.
Martin did comfort gamers a bit, though, noting that he does like to link families together through similar names. "I am fond of giving family members and close kin names that have something in common," Martin explained. Since many of the main bosses in "Elden Ring" are related in some way, having them share the first letter of their names makes sense, as does some of the more confusing name choices, like having a "Margit," who later turns out to be a "Morgott." Martin had another excellent reason for not hiding his name in the game, though: It's right on the box.
Martin has already been credited for his work
Martin wrote that there's no need to secretly leave hints of himself throughout "Elden Ring," because his "name is right there ON the game, as one of the creators." Even though Martin likely didn't help create some of the finer details in "Elden Ring," he has major billing as one of the game's creators, alongside director Hidetaka Miyazaki. Additionally, Martin wrote, "Hey, ELDEN RING is exciting enough, no need to make up stuff."
Some fans aren't buying it, though, even though Martin himself said that he didn't intentionally name characters after himself. One gamer wrote that they'd "keep investigating" the issue, while another couldn't even believe that others took the theory seriously. One fan examined Martin's blog from a different angle, speculating that his discussion of naming in "Elden Ring" was a way to dodge questions of exactly how much Martin helped in creating the game's lore.
One gamer even thought that FromSoftware might be the ones behind the odd naming convention, tweeting, "It seems like more than a coincidence. I wouldn't be surprised if FromSoft asked him to do it, but to deny it when asked about it."
Regardless of Martin's naming proclivities, "Elden Ring" continues to be a wild success. Fans are thankful everywhere after FromSoftware suggested that it's just getting started in the world of "Elden Ring," claiming that there might be more properties to come in the future.