Cooperative play has long been a feature of FromSoftware’s games, starting with Demon’s Souls. Elden Ring, the latest in this line, has worked on this feature, making it more accessible and fun.
Earlier, even solo players might use the “summoning” mechanic to call NPCs for assistance against tough bosses. But summoning human players for a co-op experience across an entire area has been the more tiring option.
Unlike earlier games where summoning required a valuable resource, Elden Ring simplifies the process, increasing its multiplayer friendliness.
Despite these changes, Elden Ring co-op still falls short compared to other games. Players can’t simply invite friends from their Steam list; dying or defeating a boss ends the session, sending enemies back to their worlds.
Though joining another’s world offers rewards, players must still face the same challenges in their own game. But the Elden Ring mod Seamless Co-op changes this dynamic, allowing players to experience the entire game together without these interruptions.
This mod represents a significant shift in multiplayer gameplay, enabling continuous co-op play from start to finish.
The Seamless Co-op mod, is the preferred way to play Elden Ring, does come with some expected limitations and bugs. Currently in beta, it is easy with Elden Ring’s expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, though users should go through updates and mandatory fixes.
Modder Luke Yui, who released the mod on Nexusmods, has been actively updating it to address bugs and enhance performance, ensuring a smooth experience for most players.
Elden Ring’s design at start favored a drop-in, drop-out co-op experience, echoing FromSoft’s earlier titles. Players couldn’t enter certain areas like caves or dungeons with summoned allies, nor could they ride Torrent, the spectral steed, in co-op sessions.
Easy Co-op removes these restrictions, enabling unrestricted play with friends throughout the game. The mod eliminates zone restrictions and fog walls, allows Torrent riding, and maintains connection even after death, sharing world progress easily.
But the mod also changes some gameplay aspects. It disables player invasions, making the game easier, though it brings in new challenges to balance this.
Seamless Co-op shifts Elden Ring from a multiplayer to a dedicated co-op experience, ideal for those wanting journey through the game with a partner.
Since its release in May 2022, the mod has seen several updates, adding features like the Rune Decanter, which converts runes into Rune Arcs, addressing a limitation in the modded game.
Setting up Seamless Co-op is Straightforward
Download the mod from the ‘Download’ tab or GitHub mirror.
Extract the downloaded package and move the files to the Elden Ring folder (usually in “C:\Program Files (x86)\Steam\steamapps\common\ELDENRING\Game”).
Edit “ersc_settings.ini” to set your co-op password.
Launch the mod using “ersc_launcher.exe”.
When you start the game with Seamless Co-op, new items in your inventory enable the seamless multiplayer experience:
- Tiny Great Pot: Opens your session for co-op players.
- Effigy of Malenia: Searches for an active co-op session using your password.
- Separation Mist: Finish the current co-op session.
- Judicator’s Rulebook: Enables/disables friendly fire and PvP.
- Rune Decanter: Converts runes into Rune Crescents.
While the mod is buggier than the base game, it’s usually stable. During extended gameplay, you will come across only one crash, and minor issues like desynchronized worlds and invisible mounts, were easily resolved by restarting the session. Overall, Seamless Co-op offers an impressive, full co-op experience, overcoming the base game’s limitations.
The mod uses separate save files and disables Easy Anti-Cheat, eliminating the risk of bans. Seamless Co-op supports up to five players, scaling enemy difficulty accordingly. The most recent update in July 2024 ensures compatibility with the latest Elden Ring version and the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
Conclusion
FromSoftware’s multiplayer design in Elden Ring is different from many games. Players place a “summon sign” for others to see and use to join their game, staying until death or a boss’s defeat.
But co-op has limitations: no summoning in areas with defeated bosses, no Torrent riding in co-op, and dungeon entrances that require session restarts.
Despite these, playing online by default increases the experience with player messages and blood splatters, adding a unique flavor to the game.
Also read: The Best Elden Ring Mods
