ELDEN RING vs DARK SOULS™ III
Which one is worth buying now, with today's prices and each game's recommendation.
ELDEN RING wins 12 of 15 head-to-head metrics. ELDEN RING is $2.40 cheaper.
Metric by metric
The winner of each row gets a ✓. No row weighs more than another; the recommendation is calculated separately.
| Metric | ELDEN RING | DARK SOULS™ III |
|---|---|---|
| GameValio scoreRecommendation: Worth It × Maybe | 72 | 63 |
| Quality | 95 | 93 |
| Value | 55 | 40 |
| Popularity | 56 | 46 |
| Current Best Price (USD) | $38.99 | $59.99 |
| Steam Review Score | 93.2% positive | 94.4% positive |
| Average Concurrent Players (14 days) | 22.9K | 5.0K |
Where to buy
The 3 cheapest stores for each game
Side by side over time
ELDEN RINGDARK SOULS™ III
Details and requirements
| Item | ELDEN RING | DARK SOULS™ III |
|---|---|---|
| Release date | February 24, 2022 | April 11, 2016 |
| Developers | FromSoftware, Inc. | FromSoftware, Inc. |
| Publishers | Bandai Namco Entertainment, FromSoftware, Inc. | Bandai Namco Entertainment, FromSoftware, Inc. |
| Platforms | Windows | Windows |
| OS (minimum) | Windows 10/11 | Windows 7 SP1 64bit, Windows 8.1 64bit Windows 10 64bit |
| Processor (minimum) | INTEL CORE I7-8700K or AMD RYZEN 5 3600X | Intel Core i7-3770 / AMD® FX-8350 |
| Memory (minimum) | 16 GB RAM | 8 GB RAM |
| Graphics (minimum) | NVIDIA GEFORCE GTX 1070 8 GB or AMD RADEON RX VEGA 56 8 GB | NVIDIA® GeForce GTX 970 / ATI Radeon R9 series |
| DirectX (minimum) | Version 12 | Version 11 |
| Storage (minimum) | 60 GB available space | 25 GB available space |
Frequently asked questions
Which is better: ELDEN RING or DARK SOULS™ III?
ELDEN RING won the comparison against DARK SOULS™ III based on the head-to-head metric breakdown. Check the metrics table above for a full side-by-side analysis.
How is the comparison calculated?
The comparison winner is determined objectively by counting which game wins more individual metrics in the head-to-head table. No weighting is applied. The GameValio Recommendation shown separately is our own suggestion for each game, based on a weighted score that combines quality (reviews), popularity (player counts), and affordability (price vs value) into a score out of 100. These are two different things: the comparison is objective, the recommendation is GameValio's opinion.
Is ELDEN RING worth buying over DARK SOULS™ III?
Based on the metrics, ELDEN RING won the direct comparison. However, also check the GameValio Recommendation for each game and the price comparison table to make the most informed purchase decision.
Which game has better player reviews?
Review score trends and volume over time are shown in the charts section above. The game with consistently higher positive ratios has stronger community reception.
Which game offers better value for money?
The affordability score and price comparison table above highlight the best deals. ELDEN RING currently scores better on value relative to its quality and price.
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Analysis updated: Oct 24, 2026, 10:46 AM UTC