Should you play Elden Ring in offline mode or online mode?

Steven Rondina Published 24/02/2022

Elden Ring offers players the ability to tackle the game in online or offline mode, but what’s the actual difference?

The Soulsborne franchise has taken very different approaches to online play over the years. Between covenants, NPC summons, invasions, and arena play, each game is different and offers a lot in terms of both cooperative and PvP play.

So why would players reject all of that? And if someone does opt to play Elden Ring offline, what are they actually missing out on? Here’s what you need to know.

Differences between online mode and offline mode in Elden Ring

The difference between online and offline mode in Elden Ring is whether summons and invasions are allowed.

At its core, multiplayer in Elden Ring works largely the same as Dark Souls games. Players have the ability to summon allied players and NPCs to help them on their journey and battle bosses. If they do, they open themselves up to being invaded by other players if they do so. Invaders are hostile and are typically allied with all AI-controlled enemy units on the map. If a player is being invaded, they can summon in extra help from blue phantoms similar to Blades of the Dark Moon, who are dedicated to battling invaders. 

While this can make for a three-on-one situation most of the time, the invader still just needs to see the summoner killed in order to be successful. Not only that, but the invasion is still considered a win if the killing blow is delivered by a regular monster or even if the summoner falls off a ledge and dies from fall damage.

This can make for prolonged skirmishes between players where the invader looks to chip away at the summoner slowly as things progress. This could make some players more interested in the idea of tackling the game alone.

Does Elden Ring have offline mode?

Elden Ring has offline mode and it can be found on the Network page of the menus under the Launch Setting section.

Alongside this players can play offline the old-fashioned way. Players can disconnect both the Xbox and PlayStation from the internet in the settings menu. PC players can launch Steam in offline mode and play. This will prevent players from summoning allies, but will also guarantee they aren’t invaded. Just remember that NPC invasions will still trigger in special areas.

Steven Rondina

About Steven Rondina

Steven Rondina is a true lifelong gamer. His earliest memories are of playing video games, and he has continued playing them throughout his life with no plans to stop any time soon. Steven’s favorite franchises in gaming include Pokemon, Dark Souls, and Counter-Strike. He has previously published with Bleacher Report and other gaming outlets.

View full profile

Read Also

Kick

Kick Admits KPP Payment Errors — Ethan Wright Explains Calculation Changes Khizar Mundia Kick creators have been claiming that something is wrong with their KPP payouts for some time now. Co-founder Eddie Craven and Director Ethan Wright both addressed the issues, blaming technical difficulties and stating the issue would be rectified, but creators have continued to allege that it hasn’t been fixed — and Wright has now given an update about KPP changes that he hopes will put the issue to bed. In ...

News

How Good Will Nintendo Switch Sports Resort Be? Zachary Roberts The Nintendo Switch run of games has been excellent by most metrics, but there are some things they haven't managed to do better than in previous attempts. Since 2017, Nintendo has put out a ton of outstanding games. They've won awards, and the Switch is the second-best-selling console ever; it may even end up in first eventually. That said, there are some things that have been replicated for the Switch ...

News

Kalshi Strikes Deal With Tunica-Biloxi Tribe Emma Somersett-MacMillan The Tunica-Biloxi Tribe from Louisiana is joining the rapidly growing prediction market industry. They have formed a new partnership with Kalshi, and this has enabled it to be the first Native American tribe to introduce its own prediction market platform via the company’s framework. This was announced on September 18, 2026, during a time when several other tribes are questioning the growth and development of Kalshi. They object to this ...

Kick

Kick Offers Viewers More Visibility in Chats — Here’s How the New KICKs Pinned Messages Work Khizar Mundia 2026 has been a stellar year for Kick users, with the brand investing substantially in very visible updates. The livestreaming platform has now introduced another new option where Kick viewers can use KICKs to pin and highlight their messages in chats. Twitch and Kick have several similarities, which makes sense given that the Stake-backed platform launched as a competitor to the Amazon-backed giant. Bits are a common method for viewers ...

Valorant

Will zekken Leave MIBR in 2026? Hannan Mundia Competitive Valorant has given rise to multiple talented professional players, but zekken stands as a powerful fragger even among them. While his glory days were definitely when he was on Sentinels during their iconic run, the player is now part of MIBR, which promised to create a super team. Unfortunately for zekken, the team has fallen short of that promise. With a disappointing 2026 season, rumors have started that zekken ...

News

What are Card Rips? The New Way to Trade Collectibles Explained Ben Boland Card rips are a new form of digital pack opening in which users can reveal physical trading cards and choose to sell, store or have them shipped to them. They are attracting serious interest among sweepstakes players. Currently, most card rip sites are separate from online casinos. However, some sweepstakes sites have foreseen the potential popularity of this form of this type of product and are offering their users the ...

Twitch

KSI Hints at Falling Out With at Least “Some” Sidemen Khizar Mundia Olajide “KSI” Olayinka Williams Olatunji was arguably the largest name attached to Sidemen, and now that he's left the collective, it appears some of the members are no longer his friends. KSI’s exit from Sidemen was the end of an era. He and the boys were renowned for fun whilst creating good memories and building a massive following. When KSI left in May 2026, he'd stated that he was on ...