Chapter Summaries

Players mourned Zack’s unavoidable death and reflected on how his story explained Cloud’s confusion and the events of Final Fantasy. As the DLC sparked intense online discussion, players blamed CEO Chen, unaware that more surprises still awaited them.

• Song Ren remembered Zack’s death and became distraught, while players repeatedly tried and failed to find a way to save Zack.
• Players connected Zack’s sacrifice to Cloud’s memories, Jenova, and the Buster Sword, and understood how Tifa and Alice had first approached Cloud.
• Players celebrated Zack as the only one who truly became a hero by protecting Cloud and entrusting him with the Buster Sword.
• Players flooded forums with grief, theories, and calls to confront Nebula Games, while more surprises remained ahead.

Song Ren followed Cloud and his companions through Shinra’s collapse and the final battles against Sephiroth, learning the villain’s origins and watching Cloud finally defeat him alone. The story ended with Alice’s spirit helping save the planet and Cloud leaving Zack’s Buster Sword where Zack had fallen.

• Cloud recovered his memories with Tifa’s help and joined the others in confronting the Weapons threatening Midgar.
• Shinra’s cannon destroyed a Weapon but its reflected energy struck headquarters, while Hojo unleashed mako and Vincent’s story revealed Sephiroth’s origins.
• Cloud and his companions defeated Sephiroth at the Northern Crater, and Cloud overcame him in a final battle of his own.
• Sephiroth vanished while declaring that he would never be a memory, and Alice’s presence in the Lifestream helped shield the planet from the meteor.
• Cloud returned to the place where Zack had sacrificed himself and planted the Buster Sword in the ground.

Song Ren reflected on Cloud and the rest of Final Fantasy’s cast, then joined players arguing over the characters’ relationships and tragic ending. At Nebula Games, Chen Xu explained that the romantic ambiguity was deliberate, while Yang Xin questioned why Version B ended at Midgar.

• Song Ren recalled Cloud’s past, his bond with Zack, and the stories of the other characters, then lamented how heartbreaking the game was.
• Players on the forums argued over whether Alice loved Zack or Cloud and debated possible pairings for the surviving characters.
• Song Ren found the shipping arguments baffling because the game had left most relationships, including Cloud and Tifa’s, unconfirmed.
• Chen Xu told his staff that the deliberate ambiguity encouraged players to imagine their preferred relationships and endings.
• Yang Xin asked why Version B only covered Midgar, and Chen Xu said it would preserve interest in the Final Fantasy IP; Ruan Ningxue warned that players might not let him leave Nebula Games.

Chen Xu released an Easter egg version of Final Fantasy in which Alice and Sephiroth seemed to know the future, and Cloud's party fought the Guardians of fate. The altered timeline appeared to let Zack survive, but the update ended just as the party crossed into the unknown beyond Midgar.

• Chen Xu announced a new Final Fantasy update that invited players to see whether the future could be changed.
• Cloud met Alice in Midgar, where she acted as if she already knew him, while Sephiroth also hinted at knowledge of future events.
• Alice warned Cloud and Tifa about Shinra's plans, allowing them to return to Area 7 early and help Wedge, Jessie, and Biggs survive the attack.
• Red XIII explained that the Lifestream were Guardians of fate, and Cloud, Tifa, Barret, and Alice defeated them, though Alice had no future counterpart.
• Zack survived his encounter with the Shinra Soldiers and helped Cloud toward Midgar as Cloud's party crossed the fate barrier.
• Song Ren and other players were stunned when the update's credits rolled immediately after the party left Midgar.

Players debated whether Final Fantasy needed a tragic or happy ending after its Lifestream and multiverse Easter egg offered hope for Alice and Zack. Chen Xu defended the possibility of fairy-tale endings, but veteran fans reminded everyone that the story had only reached Midgar and accused him of distracting them from the unfinished game.

• Players reacted furiously to the Easter egg’s glimpses of the future and the parallel-universe appearance of Zack, then speculated about what might happen next.
• Players argued over whether bringing Alice and Zack back through the multiverse weakened the story, while others said they wanted the characters to have happy lives.
• Chen Xu posted that art did not have to end in tragedy and that games could be fairy tales that let players experience different fantasies.
• Players supported Chen Xu’s remarks, and longtime Nebula Games fans countered that his past games had not given characters such as Arthur Morgan and Elizabeth fairy-tale endings.
• Veteran players pointed out that the supposed perfect ending was only speculation and that Final Fantasy had barely reached Midgar, redirecting attention to Chen Xu’s unfinished story.

Chen Xu decided Nebula Games’ next project would be a challenging Souls game, then revealed it as Elden Ring during an online launch event. The announcement left players expecting a new Skyrim-style fantasy game stunned.

• Chen Xu discussed Final Fantasy merchandise sales and joked that players had learned to expect tragic games from him.
• When Qin Yi asked about remastering older games, Chen Xu rejected the idea and chose to make another high-difficulty game instead.
• Chen Xu announced that Nebula Games would hold an online launch event, prompting intense speculation from players and gaming media.
• At the event, Chen Xu described the project as an open-world action RPG with puzzles, varied weapons, exploration-focused side quests, and an epic fantasy setting.
• Chen Xu revealed the game’s name as Elden Ring, shocking players who had assumed his clues pointed to The Elder Scrolls.

Chen Xu announced Elden Ring as a new open-world Soulslike, then ended the launch event after showing only concept art and a logo. He explained to Nebula Games’ team that the game would offer many ways to overcome its challenges, and that exploiting every trick was what made someone a Soulslike veteran.

• Chen Xu revealed Elden Ring as a new IP, surprising players who had expected a Skyrim sequel.
• Chen Xu described the game's varied open-world regions and showed concept art, then ended the event without a trailer or further details.
• Players complained online that the event had revealed almost nothing, while Yang Xin noted that the project and its concept art were still in an early stage.
• Chen Xu told the team that Elden Ring would be both the easiest and hardest Soulslike entry because of its open-world design.
• Chen Xu explained that players could overcome bosses through skill, Spirit Ashes, powerful builds, or clever exploits, and called such tricks the mark of a Soulslike veteran.

Chen Xu and the Nebula Games team worked to restore cut questlines and improve Elden Ring's open-world balance and VR experience. As the team reviewed terrifying encounters and monsters, Chen insisted that players could handle them.

• Chen Xu reviewed cut Elden Ring questlines, including Melina's, Patches's, and the intertwined stories of the Lord of Haight, Nepheli Loux, and the Stormveil Castle gatekeeper.
• Chen Xu planned to restore incomplete content and improve inventory access, Spirit Ash balance, and boss AI.
• Yang Xin saw a VR pre-demo in which a Tarnished opened a dark attic gate and became trapped with a Fierce Knight, and he complained about its frightening design.
• Ruan Ningxue warned that Elden Ring's grotesque monsters would unsettle players as much as Bloodborne's Great Ones.
• Chen Xu reassured Yang Xin and Ruan Ningxue that players were tough enough to handle the game's traps and monsters.

Chen Xu and Nebula Games refined Elden Ring’s guidance and crafting systems while developing the game. After a long silence, the company released a cinematic promotional video revealing the Shattering War and ending with a mysterious woman asking whether the viewer might become Elden Lord.

• Chen Xu and his team adjusted Elden Ring’s balance, expanded side quests, and focused on improving guidance while leaving out a conventional quest log.
• Players speculated about Elden Ring’s gameplay as they waited for news from Nebula Games.
• Nebula Games released Elden Ring’s promotional video, which depicted the theft of the Rune of Death, the Shattering War, and the battle between Radahn and Malenia.
• The video ended with a mysterious woman asking whether the viewer might be the next Elden Lord.
• Players praised the trailer’s visuals, and longtime Nebula Games players recognized a familiar style.

After months of speculation about whether “Elden Ring” was a Soulslike game, Song Ren launched it and found that its opening and controls strongly resembled Dark Souls. He chose the Knight class and set off as a Tarnished, confident that his experience would carry him to become Elden Lord.

• Chen Xu released character art and settings that fueled players’ belief that “Elden Ring” was a Soulslike game.
• On release day, Song Ren and Zhang Yi joked about co-op while waiting for the game to launch.
• Song Ren watched the opening CGI, which introduced the shattered Elden Ring, the Demigods, and several Tarnished called to the Lands Between.
• Song Ren recognized the familiar character creation system, chose Knight and the Golden Seed, and entered the game.
• Song Ren tested the Dark Souls-style controls, confirmed he was not overburdened, and declared that his journey to become Elden Lord should go smoothly.

Song Ren explored the opening area of Elden Ring, expecting a scripted death from the first Boss before entering the Tutorial. He discovered that Guard Counters could stagger enemies and defeated the Godrick Soldier with one critical attack, leaving him wondering whether he had opened the game the wrong way.

• Song Ren explored King's Chapel, admired the distant royal city and Golden Tree, and left a Message near the cliff.
• Song Ren encountered the "Grafted" Noble Descendant and let it kill him, believing the encounter was scripted.
• Song Ren chose to enter the Tutorial rather than leave, where he learned how Guard Counters worked.
• Song Ren blocked the Godrick Soldier's attack and countered, staggering it before killing it with a critical strike.
• Song Ren stared in disbelief after the Godrick Soldier died so quickly.

Song Ren explored Limgrave and challenged the Tree Sentinel, only to be repeatedly defeated by the powerful outdoor boss. He sought comfort from Zhang Yi, who revealed that popular Messages had made his game too easy and showed Song Ren the crude jokes behind his highly liked Messages.

• Song Ren left Messages, reached Limgrave, and learned from White Masks that he lacked a maiden to guide his leveling.
• Song Ren spotted the Tree Sentinel and chose to fight it rather than bypass it, but its mounted attacks overwhelmed him.
• After nearly an hour of deaths, Song Ren contacted Zhang Yi, who said he had reached Stormveil Castle and killed the dragon at Dragon-burnt Ruins.
• Zhang Yi explained that his Messages' unusually high likes kept restoring his health, so he had switched to offline mode.
• Zhang Yi sent Song Ren screenshots of his popular crude Messages, leaving Song Ren speechless.

Song Ren defeated the Tree Guardian, explored the ruins near Stormgate, and discovered the Ashes of War system. At a Site of Grace before Stormveil Castle, he met Melina and immediately admired her.

• Song Ren used a cautious halberd strategy to defeat the Tree Guardian and sent Zhang Yi screenshots of his victory and the Golden Glaive he obtained.
• Song Ren spoke with the merchant at the Church of Elleh Ruins, then followed the Sites of Grace toward Stormgate.
• Song Ren fled the ruins after guards summoned nearby enemies, then returned stealthily and found the Storm Stomp Ash of War in the basement.
• Song Ren learned that Ashes of War could change a weapon's skill and wondered whether weapon skills would play a larger role in combat.
• Song Ren reached the Site of Grace before Stormveil Castle, where Melina appeared and offered to discuss a condition with him.

Song Ren explored Limgrave on his spirit steed, then opened a trapped chest that teleported him into the dangerous Sellia Crystal Tunnel. Unable to fast travel or defeat its powerful enemies, he searched for a way out alongside the other players’ Bloodstains and Messages.

• Song Ren leveled up, received a spirit steed from Melina, and discovered that its double jump could not save him from a fatal fall.
• Song Ren explored Limgrave, avoided the dragon at Dragon-burnt Ruins, and found a hidden chamber beneath the ruins.
• Song Ren opened a treasure chest that triggered a teleportation trap and sent him to Sellia Crystal Tunnel.
• Song Ren struggled against the tunnel’s tough enemies and tracking attacks, then realized he had to escape without fast travel.
• Song Ren drew comfort from the Bloodstains, wandering souls, and Messages left by other players, but did not rate any of the Messages.

Song Ren struggled through Caelid and Raya Lucaria after a trapped chest sent him to a dangerous late-game area, then returned to Limgrave to challenge Margit the Fell Omen with summoned allies. After more than an hour of fighting, he defeated Margit and declared himself a Tarnished full of justice.

• Song Ren escaped the prison tunnel in Caelid and survived the hostile enemies around Raya Lucaria before returning to Limgrave.
• Song Ren reached Stormveil Castle and summoned Sorcerer Rogier and a jellyfish to help him fight Margit the Fell Omen.
• Song Ren complained as Rogier repeatedly charged into close combat with Margit despite being a sorcerer.
• Song Ren and his summoned allies fought Margit for over an hour, and Song Ren finally killed him with his halberd.
• Song Ren reflected on his companions' sacrifices and proclaimed himself a Tarnished full of justice.

After defeating Margit, Song Ren entered Stormveil Castle and suffered through its deadly traps, ambushes, and a locked-room Knight. He recovered his dropped runes, only to discover that more than three thousand had vanished.

• The chapter described the Weeping Peninsula’s history and the rebellion of its enslaved demi-human hybrids, then noted that Stormveil Castle’s intricate design brought back the dungeon feel players had missed.
• Song Ren reached the Roundtable Hold, met its residents, upgraded his weapon, experienced Fia’s hug, and was defeated by an invading red phantom.
• At Stormveil Castle, Song Ren rejected an NPC’s suggested side path and was killed by concealed Ballistas after entering through the main gate; when he returned, the NPC had disappeared.
• Song Ren took the remote route through the castle, faced ambushing Black Knife Assassins and explosive barrels, and was trapped in a Black Cage with a Knight who killed him while he carried over ten thousand runes.
• Song Ren returned to the Black Cage and found its door stayed open, but he noticed that more than three thousand runes were missing.

Song Ren noticed that recovering his dropped runes had cost him nearly 30 percent, while Elden Ring players online suffered brutal deaths from monsters and traps across the Lands Between. As players struggled through increasingly hostile areas and dungeons, some began researching easier ways through the game.

• Song Ren found that he had recovered over 3,000 fewer runes than expected and wondered why the game had taken a cut.
• A player caught by a Metal Machine in Raya Lucaria was trapped in an underground area and could not teleport out, even after dying.
• A player riding Torrent was killed instantly by giant lobsters, while another player fleeing finger monsters was crushed by a giant hand.
• Players encountered powerful enemies and grotesque creatures in later areas, including the Eternal City, Stormveil Castle, and the Royal Capital Sewer.
• The Royal Capital Sewer and other malicious dungeons drove experienced Soulslike players toward despair, while some players discovered easier routes through research.

A Shu used a glass-cannon mage build to defeat the Dragon Knight Tree Guardian with Comet Azur, shocking his viewers. Other players also discovered powerful Ashes of War that made Elden Ring easier.

• A Shu began his stream by promising viewers that his game skills had improved after studying overnight.
• He hid between rocks and killed a Rotten Tree Spirit with Rock Sling, then claimed he would fight future bosses fairly.
• A Shu reset his attributes to focus on Intelligence and FP, equipped Comet Azur, and used a Cerulean Hidden Tear to blast the Dragon Knight Tree Guardian.
• He finished the Guardian with Rock Sling and bragged that his build would be even stronger after more leveling and upgrades.
• Players found Hoarfrost Stomp and Barricade Shield, making mage and melee combat easier.

Players debated whether Elden Ring’s many ways to lower its difficulty undermined the game, while others argued that a single-player game should let players choose their preferred challenge. The dispute spread across gaming communities, and Chen Xu personally responded on the Official Blog.

• Players discovered powerful builds, Spirit Ashes, and rune-farming routes that made Elden Ring easier to clear.
• As more players tried the game, its flexible difficulty drew newcomers while sparking arguments over its many shortcuts.
• Players criticizing Spirit Ashes and other powerful tactics clashed online with players defending the freedom to play as they wished.
• The debate drew thousands of replies in a single day, and Chen Xu responded personally on the Official Blog.

Chen Xu defended Elden Ring’s difficulty and its varied ways to overcome challenges, changing the debate around the game. As players and media praised its open world and accessible builds, Elden Ring became the best-selling Soulslike game.

• Chen Xu explained that Elden Ring’s difficulty was intentional, while its open world and tools gave players more ways to overcome obstacles.
• Players debated his statement, with many defending the game’s builds and arguing that players could choose how to play.
• Rational players noted that Chen Xu had balanced the builds so they remained viable in single-player without forcing other players to use them.
• Some players continued criticizing Elden Ring and questioned Chen Xu’s Souls credentials, but he did not respond further.
• Discussion shifted in Elden Ring’s favor, and its sales surpassed those of previous Soulslike games as players and media praised it.