Elden Ring Player Sues For Content Being Inaccessible Due to Skill Issues

An Elden Ring player, Nora Kisaragi, has filed a lawsuit against Bandai Namco and FromSoftware in Massachusetts small claims court. Kisaragi alleges that the developers misled consumers by concealing substantial game content through intentionally difficult gameplay. This claim, announced on 4Chan, asserts that a "whole new game" is hidden within Elden Ring and other FromSoftware titles.

The lawsuit hinges on the argument that the high difficulty level obscures significant, intentionally hidden content, supported by datamined information interpreted as evidence of this hidden content. Kisaragi rejects the common understanding that such data represents cut content. Instead, they cite vague references from FromSoftware's past works, such as Sekiro's art book and statements by President Hidetaka Miyazaki, as "constant hints" supporting their claim. The core of the lawsuit is that players paid for inaccessible content without knowledge of its existence.

The lawsuit's viability is highly questionable. While Massachusetts small claims court allows individuals 18 and older to sue without an attorney, the plaintiff lacks concrete evidence. The claim might fall under "Consumer Protection Law," but proving deceptive practices requires substantial evidence of a "hidden dimension" and demonstrable consumer harm. The lack of such evidence makes dismissal highly probable. Even if successful, damages in small claims court are limited.

Kisaragi's stated goal isn't monetary compensation but to force Bandai Namco to publicly acknowledge the existence of this purported hidden dimension. The absurdity of the claim is highlighted by the fact that extensive datamining would likely have already revealed such content. The presence of datamined content often reflects cut features rather than intentionally hidden gameplay, a common practice in game development.