FromSoftware's latest game has a tiny issue: there is no Elden Ring pause feature (at least, not officially). it seems that someone has found a way to pause the game anyway, and this method works on all platforms -- no mods required.
Elden Ring is, for all intents and purposes, a spiritual successor to Dark Souls, albeit with some differences like a more open world. Fans that finally got their hands on the game after its delayed launch discovered that there wasn't a way to pause the game. Now, new evidence has come to light that shows there's always been a pause option of sorts in the game -- as long as you know where to look.
guess what, Elden Ring DOES have a pause button
— Iron Pineapple (@IronPineapple_) March 8, 2022
just open "Menu Explanation" while on the inventory screen
this isn't a meme, it actually works lmao pic.twitter.com/0tNLFaWwC7
How the Elden Ring Pause Feature (Sort Of) Works
As VGC reports, YouTuber Iron Pineapple showed exactly how the built-in Elden Ring pause feature works. Like most things in the game, it's not as easy as you'd expect it to be.
Technically speaking, Elden Ring does not have a pause option. However, it does have a tutorial screen that explains how the game's menu works... and that pauses the game.
Here's how to activate it:
- Go into the inventory screen.
- Select Help.
- Select "Menu Explanation."
That's really all you have to do -- once the Menu Explanation window is up, time in the game world is frozen and you can take that much-deserved bathroom break.
What's unclear, however, is whether or not this is intended behavior. Soulslike games (especially the ones made by FromSoftware) are carefully designed, and it seems odd that they would leave this quasi-pause feature in without having a regular old pause button.
This Elden Ring pause workaround may not stick around forever, but you should be able to take advantage of it in the near future. You can buy Elden Ring for PC and consoles starting at $59.99 or your regional equivalent.
