Elden Ring's Stonesword Keys Used To Call Out Ubisoft MTX
Another Elden Ring fan is holding the title up as an aspirational example of game design by comparing it to microtransaction-laden Ubisoft games. This isn't the first time that someone from this fanbase has used the game to criticize Ubisoft; as a recent Elden Ring meme points out, a FromSoftware open-world is almost the antithesis of a Ubisoft one.
Elden Ring is the first game from developer FromSoftware to adopt the open-world structure and, for many gamers, the legendary Japanese studio hit it out of the park on the first swing. Whereas other publishers will typically flood open-world titles with menial or repetitive side quests, waypoints, and frivolous collectibles, Elden Ring throws its players into its world and gives them only the most cursory directions. There are several other, highly contentious, AAA game tropes that Elden Ring does away with, not the least of which being microtransactions. While small in-game purchases are most often found in multiplayer or free-to-play titles, Ubisoft has upset many of its fans by making them major parts of its open-world franchises like Assassin's Creed and Far Cry. What is offered through these Ubisoft in-game marketplaces can vary, but typically players can purchase exclusive cosmetics and (perhaps most problematically) limited-time XP boosters which speed up progression.
Related: Why Elden Ring's World Is Called The Lands Between
Elden Ring has none of these controversial in-game purchases which, as highlighted by Reddit user Denwolf88, stands in stark contrast to Ubisoft's philosophy. Denwolf88's post on the Elden Ring subreddit shows an image of a Stonesword Key, an in-game item used to access various closed-off areas. Players can find these keys simply by exploring
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