Elden Ring's colosseums are opening up in a free multiplayer update

engadget.com:

Many Elden Ring fans are hoping to hear news of an expansion for the blockbuster title at The Game Awards this week. Publisher Bandai Namco has jumped the gun a bit by announcing a free multiplayer-focused update, which will go live on Wednesday.

The Colosseum update will open up the titular arenas in Limgrave, Leyndell and Caelid, where players can battle it out in "duels, free-for-alls and team fights," according to a YouTube video description. The colosseums have been in the game since launch, but were inaccessible unless players used mods or other workarounds.

Although Bandai Namco hasn't revealed a ton of details about the update, having dedicated arenas for player-versus-player (PvP) battles should freshen things up for those who like to duke it out against other humans in Elden Ring. The trailer showed off some three vs. three combat as well. The video also includes text stating that players can "join forces to fight for the Elden Ring." That suggests there will be more robust co-op options too, though we'll need to wait until tomorrow for more info.

PvP is one of the main reasons players keep coming back to FromSoftware's games long after they've finished the single-player story, so this update will likely come as welcome news for fans. Still, this announcement doesn't stop From and Bandai Namco from revealing a more substantial expansion at The Game Awards. Elden Ring is nominated for seven awards at Thursday's ceremony, including Game of the Year.