• Microsoft has announced an episode of Inside Xbox for Thursday, May 7.
• Rumors and a brand new trademark filing suggest From Software could showcase the highly-anticipated Elden Ring.
• We’ve heard next to nothing since the game was unveiled at E3 2019.

Yesterday, Microsoft revealed that Thursday’s Inside Xbox, renamed as Xbox 20/20 May update, will feature next-gen gameplay and showcase trailers from third-party developers.

Other than Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, we’re very much in the dark as to what games Microsoft will showcase. There’s now mounting evidence that Elden Ring could pop up.

Elden Ring is a collaborative effort between developer From Software, of Dark Souls and Bloodborne fame, and A Song of Ice and Fire author George RR Martin. The game will retain the signature difficulty level of From Software’s previous games while tapping into Martin’s storytelling prowess to flesh out a fantasy open-world.

Elden Ring Trademark Filling

Firstly, Bandai Namco filed a trademark for Elden Ring in Singapore on Apr. 30 . While trademarks aren’t exactly proof of much and companies regularly protect their IPs ahead of any announcements, it’s the first tangible sign of life from Elden Ring we’ve heard since an announcement and trailer at E3 2019.

Secondly, a new rumor floating around on Twitter listing the games set to feature on Thursday  mentions Elden Ring. The list consists of Anthem Redux, a New Batman title, Cyberpunk 2077, Dying Light 2, Diablo IV, Dead Island 2, Harry Potter RPG, Observer System Redux, Overwatch 2, Resident Evil 8, Skull & Bones, Starfield, Twin Mirror, Tales of Arise, and Vampire: The Masquerade 2.

News Is Overdue

We also have to look at From Software’s snappy announcement-to-release pattern – the developer doesn’t typically leave fans in the lurch by teasing games for years on end. From’s last game, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, was revealed at The Game Awards in December 2017 and launched a little over a year later in March 2019.

Applying that same pattern to Elden Ring, the game should release by the end of 2020. With Elden Ring set to launch on PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC, time is running out to maximize a current-gen release before the launch of the next-gen consoles at the end of the year.

All in all, we are due an Elden Ring update and what better setting than Inside Xbox. After all, From Software first revealed the game during Microsoft’s E3 2019 press conference.

While it’s unwise to take this as confirmation that Elden Ring will feature during Thursday’s Inside Xbox, there’s no smoke without fire as the saying goes.

The only hurdle is whether Inside Xbox will focus solely on next-gen games or squeeze in a few current-gen releases as well. The wording of Microsoft’s press release  leaves open the possibility for both.