36.4 Million Copies, $2 Billion in Revenue, and Patch 1.17.2: How Elden Ring Keeps Dominating in 2026
Four years after its original February 2022 launch, Elden Ring continues to post staggering commercial numbers across PC and consoles. According to an October 2026 market report from Alinea Analytics and analyst Rhys Elliott, the acclaimed action RPG from FromSoftware and Bandai Namco has now reached 36.4 million copies sold worldwide, surpassing $2 billion in lifetime gross revenue for the base game alone. Even more remarkably, the title has sold an additional 2 million copies in 2026 alone, generating nearly $110 million in revenue this year.
Steam Accounts for 50% of Unit Sales While Consoles Drive 57.5% of Revenue
In its breakdown of recent Game of the Year winners, Alinea Analytics examined how Elden Ring distributes its audience across platforms. Even compared to major recent hits such as Astro Bot with 4.7 million copies sold and $291 million in PS5 revenue, Hidetaka Miyazaki's dark fantasy epic operates in a financial league of its own.
The platform split highlights a notable contrast between unit volume and gross revenue across PC, PlayStation, and Xbox:
- Steam (PC) accounts for roughly 50% of total unit sales (over 18.2 million copies), heavily propelled by sustained demand across Asia and particularly in China.
- PlayStation (PS4 and PS5) represents around 35% of copies sold, while Xbox (Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S) makes up the remaining 15%.
- In gross revenue terms, however, console editions generate 57.5% of total revenue (versus 42.5% on Steam), reflecting lower regional pricing on PC across several emerging territories.
9.8 Million Players Over 100 Hours and $282 Million for Nightreign
Beyond raw unit sales, Alinea Analytics points to extraordinary player retention as the key driver behind the game's 2026 momentum. More than 9.8 million players have spent over 100 hours exploring the Lands Between, while nearly 3.5 million players have unlocked every single achievement or Platinum trophy. That staying power has also carried over to the standalone cooperative PvE spin-off Elden Ring Nightreign, released in May 2025, which has already accumulated 7.8 million copies sold and $282 million in gross revenue.
Patch 1.17.2 Fixes the Piquebone Arrow PvP Status Exploit
Following earlier content and balance updates such as the Tarnished Pack DLC and Patch 1.17, FromSoftware continues to actively maintain the base game. This week, the studio rolled out Title Update 1.17.2 (Regulation Ver. 1.17.3), a mandatory update required for online play across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam.
Behind its compact changelog, the patch eliminates a frustrating PvP exploit alongside visual and network fixes:
- Piquebone Arrow Exploit Fixed: Resolved a bug that triggered unintended and instantaneous status buildup when firing Piquebone Arrows and Fletched Piquebone Arrows in a specific manner.
- Repeating Crossbow and Leontiel's Greatsword: Fixed a visual issue where left-hand graphics failed to render properly when activating the Repeating Crossbow skill in the off-hand while holding Leontiel's Greatsword in the right hand.
- Gold Tattoo Chest Armor: Corrected a character model display bug when wearing the Gold Tattoo Chest armor with the "Hide Helmet" setting enabled.
- PlayStation Network Security: Added security enhancements for online network features specifically on PS4 and PS5.
My Take
Selling another 2 million copies and pulling in $110 million during its fourth year on the market without relying on live-service microtransactions is an extraordinary feat. What stands out most to me in these figures is the 9.8 million players who have crossed the 100-hour mark: that deep organic engagement, backed by massive build variety and steady maintenance like Patch 1.17.2 cleaning up PvP exploits, is exactly what turns a demanding single-player RPG into a multi-billion-dollar evergreen powerhouse.
SEO consultant for over 20 years and digital entrepreneur, Charles 'Grimtag' Ronchain is the founder of Pro-Gamer.gg, Retrocharting.com, and Gamescharting.com. A competitive gamer, streamer, and retro game collector, he has worked in the video game industry for over 15 years, notably as a consultant for leading game price comparison platforms. Passionate about real-time performance data and gaming technology, he analyzes competitive esports, gaming hardware benchmarks, and creator workflows on Pro-Gamer.gg with an authentic player perspective.
