George R. R. Martin Hasn’t Played Elden Ring Because of Winds of Winter

Popular author George R. R. Martin helped create one of 2022’s biggest games in Elden Ring, but he says that he hasn’t played it because he’s too busy trying to finish The Winds of Winter. For over a decade, numerous fans have been wondering when (or if) Martin would ever complete the next installment in the ongoing Song of Ice and Fire saga. And while the book’s release still seems pretty far off, Martin isn’t allowing Elden Ring to distract him. 

In a new interview on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, Martin was asked about Elden Ring and his own contribution to the action-adventure title. Martin explained that much of his work on the game was done many years ago and helped flesh out the lore and world that Elden Ring takes place in. When asked about whether or not he has played the game, though, Martin essentially said that he’s too busy trying to finish The Winds of Winter to dive into Elden Ring. 

“I have not played it, because people seem to want this Winds of Winter book,” Martin said with jest. “And I have, unfortunately, a totally addictive personality. I did play video games a long, long time ago. I played games like Railroad Tycoon, Master of Orion, and Homeworld and I would get sucked into it. Weeks, months would go by and I’d be sitting there in my red flannel bathrobe just saying, ‘One more game, one more game.’”

All in all, it’s funny to hear Martin acknowledge that he knows he has to continue working on The Winds of Winter, especially since he’s asked about the novel so often. To hear that he hasn’t played Elden Ring as a result though is something that some fans might find disappointing, as many have continued to want to hear his own impressions on the title. Still, even without having played it, Martin said in the same interview that Elden Ring is “the most beautiful game” that he’s ever seen. 

As mentioned, The Winds of Winter still doesn’t have a release window of any sort, but Martin has stated that the book is now about 75% done. And while Martin believes that the book will launch at some point in the future, he has also jokingly acknowledged that he’s already dreading the requests for A Dream of Spring soon after. 

[H/T GamesRadar]