Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki has explained in a recent interview that even he "sucks at video games," and has admitted to using "every scrap of aid" he had to get through the base game ahead of Shadow of the Erdtree.
Just like with all difficult games, there's an air of elitism that surrounds most of FromSoftware's work, one that has reached boiling point due to the unexpected difficulty of Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. It's widely considered by people that are wrong that using summons, calling forth spirit ashes, or fighting alongside the Mimic Tear somehow invalidates your playthrough, and that you didn't really beat it if you needed that much help.
That is absolute nonsense, of course, and you're allowed to play Elden Ring and its DLC however you like, but the people making these arguments have now taken a heavy blow after series creator Hidetaka Miyazaki admitted that he actually "sucks at video games" despite the reputation surrounding the games he makes.
Elden Ring Director Says Even He "Sucks," Uses Cheese To Beat It
In an interview with the Guardian (thanks GamesRadar), Miyazaki explains that while he doesn't like playing his own games after release — as he knows he'll find "issues that will bug me" — he made an exception for Elden Ring and played through the main story in preparation for Shadow of the Erdtree. He goes on to say that he "absolutely sucks at video games," and that his play style was to use every piece of help made available to him throughout The Lands Between.
"I absolutely suck at video games, so my approach or play style was to use everything I have at my disposal, all the assistance, every scrap of aid that the game offers, and also all the knowledge that I have as the architect of the game…"
No matter how cheesy the item, weapon, or tactic is, you can bet that Miyazaki has exploited it to get through his own game. That's how Elden Ring should be approached though, and Shadow of the Erdree offers plenty of opportunities to grow more powerful before tackling any bosses, scattering Scadutree Fragments across the map to collect. It's a rough old time, but if you're struggling to beat Rellana, the Dancing Lion, or the Blackgaol Knight, take a page out of Miyazaki's book and don't feel bad reaching for your Mimic.
