Datamined content suggests Elden Ring almost had Covenants like Dark Souls
Elden Ring dataminer and PvP content creator StrayKurtis recently shared a screenshot of unused messages from Elden Ring which imply the game's various factions may once have had more formal membership and progression.
In the Dark Souls series, players can join factions called Covenants that provide various PvP or PvE opportunities. The Darkwraiths focus on invading other players to hunt them, while the Darkmoon covenant is all about invading invaders to punish them, for example. The Covenants have rank-up rewards tied to them, with some choice spells and weapons only obtainable through performing your covenant's duties (PvP, co-op, etc.) a certain number of times.
#ELDENRING datamine fun fact: There are several unused text popups related to the various online interactions(invasions, coop, etc). Perhaps there are some sort of ranking systems in the works? pic.twitter.com/FTurtshwS2May 11, 2022
In Elden Ring there are in-game factions—two, even, with a connection to PvP—but no formal ranked Covenants. The Recusants of Volcano Manor and Bloody Fingers of the Moghwyn Dynasty both provide multiplayer invasion-related items, but instead of formal ranks they offer sidequests which incorporate more seamlessly with the rest of the game.
StrayKurtis's screenshot shows a selection of messages similar to those displayed on defeat of a boss or invader, with the text:
The conclusion I draw is that these messages were made for a faction system like the one in Dark Souls, abandoned at some point in development. They all tie to items or ideas already in Elden Ring.
«Hunter» likely refers to the Blue and White Cipher rings, which enable a form of emergency co-op to fend off invaders, represented by the NPC Yura. «Duelist» corresponds
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