Mastering the Lands Between: The Ultimate Free Elden Ring Endings Guide PS5
Embarking on a journey through FromSoftware's masterpiece on your PlayStation 5 is no small feat. As you battle your way through towering bosses, uncover deep lore, and traverse breathtaking vistas, you are steadily marching toward one of several climactic conclusions. If you are searching for a comprehensive free elden ring endings guide ps5, you have come to the right place. This guide is designed to help you navigate the complex web of quests required to unlock every single ending in the game without spending a dime on paid strategy guides or subscriptions.
Elden Ring is renowned for its sheer scale, and its multiple conclusions are a testament to the player agency embedded within the game design. Whether you want to become the Elden Lord, plunge the world into eternal darkness, or rid the Lands Between of the Greater Will entirely, your choices matter immensely. By the time the credits roll on your DualSense controller, the state of the world will reflect the path you chose to walk. Let us dive deep into the mechanics, requirements, and steps needed to achieve every conclusion available in the game.
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Understanding Elden Ring's Ending Mechanics on PS5
Before diving into the specific paths, it is crucial to understand how endings work mechanically in Elden Ring. Unlike some linear role-playing games, Elden Ring allows you to fulfill the requirements for multiple endings in a single playthrough. This is fantastic news for PS5 players who want to platinum the game or simply experience all the narrative payoffs without committing to three or four separate 100-hour campaigns.
The primary method for manipulating your endgame on the PlayStation 5 involves utilizing the cloud save feature available through PlayStation Plus, or using a USB drive to back up your save data just before interacting with the final boss or the fractured Marika. By uploading your save data to the cloud right before the point of no return, you can defeat the final boss, trigger one ending, download your old save from the cloud, and trigger a completely different ending.
However, if you want a purely organic playthrough where your specific choices dictate your destiny, careful planning is required. Certain quests lock you out of other paths, most notably the Frenzied Flame ending. As you follow this free elden ring endings guide ps5, keep in mind which items and questlines intertwine, ensuring you do not accidentally ruin hours of progress.
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The Standard Paths: Becoming Elden Lord
The most common category of conclusions revolves around repairing the Elden Ring and claiming the throne as the Elden Lord. Within this category, there are several distinct variations depending on which Mending Runes you have acquired throughout your journey across the PS5 version of the game.
The Age of Fracture (Default Ending)
This is the baseline conclusion of Elden Ring and the easiest to achieve. If you reach the end of the game without completing any major optional NPC questlines that reward you with a Mending Rune, you will automatically trigger this ending.- Defeat the final boss inside the Erdtree.
- Approach Queen Marika's shattered body.
- Touch the prompt to repair the Elden Ring normally.
- Watch as you sit upon the throne, ruling a fractured world much as it was before.
The Age of the Duskborn
To achieve this variation of the Elden Lord ending, you must complete the complex and haunting questline involving Fia, the Deathbed Companion. Fia can be found in the Roundtable Hold early in your game.- Progress Fia’s quest by allowing her to hold you and eventually giving her the Dexterous Cursemark and the Cursemark of Death.
- Defeat Lichdragon Fortissax in the Deeproot Depths.
- Acquire the Mending Rune of the Death-Prince from Fia after she falls into a deep slumber.
- Upon defeating the final boss, use this specific rune at Marika's body to usher in an age where those who live in death are integrated into the societal fabric.
The Blessing of Despair
If you enjoy playing the villain or want to see the most horrific outcome for the Lands Between, you will want to pursue the Dung Eater’s questline. This path leads to the Mending Rune of the Fell Curse.- Find the Dung Eater in the Roundtable Hold (appearing as a projection first) and give him a Seedbed Curse.
- Locate his physical body in the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell, Royal Capital.
- Use the rune upon defeating the final boss to plunge the world into a perpetual state of curse and suffering.
The Age of Order
For players who prefer a logical, structured approach to divinity, Goldmask and Brother Corhyn offer a fascinating questline that results in the Mending Rune of Perfect Order.- Meet Corhyn and Goldmask in Altus Plateau and solve the riddle regarding Queen Marika's true identity.
- Find them near the Erdtree Capital before it becomes the Ash Capital.
- Acquire the mending rune and use it at the end of the game to remove the fickleness and madness of the gods from the equation, establishing a rigid, perfect order.
The Subversive Paths: Beyond the Elden Ring
Beyond the standard Elden Lord variations, Elden Ring features two massive, transformative endings that completely change the cinematic conclusion and lore implications of your journey. These require extensive exploration across the massive map accessible on your PlayStation 5.
Age of the Stars (Ranni’s Ending)
Arguably the most popular and content-rich conclusion in the game, the Age of the Stars is tied to Witch Ranni's questline. This ending removes the Greater Will and the Golden Order entirely from the Lands Between, ushering in an age of cold, fear, and loneliness under the dark moon, effectively freeing humanity from divine manipulation.- Meet Ranni at Ranni's Rise in Caria Manor, Liurnia of the Lakes.
- Travel through the Siofra River, Nokron Eternal City, and retrieve the Fingerslayer Blade.
- Navigate the Lake of Rot, defeat Astel, Naturalborn of the Void, and traverse the Moonlight Altar.
- Place the Dark Moon Ring upon Ranni's finger to receive the Dark Moon Greatsword.
- Upon defeating the final boss, summon Ranni via the blue summon sign on the floor instead of interacting with Marika.
Lord of Frenzied Flame
If you want to watch the world burn quite literally, you can align yourself with the Three Fingers buried deep beneath the capital. This is often considered the "bad" or chaotic ending, and it severely locks you out of other endings unless you use a very specific, hidden cleansing item.- Descend into the Subterranean Shunning-Grounds beneath Leyndell and navigate the infamous parkour puzzle room.
- Reach the Three Fingers and strip off all your armor to receive the embrace, branding your character with the Frenzied Flame.
- Melina will abandon you, vowing to kill you herself for this betrayal.
- Upon reaching the final choice, interact with Marika to trigger the destruction of the world.
- Note: You can reverse this ending by completing Millicent's questline, defeating Malenia, acquiring Miquella's Needle, and using it inside Dragonlord Placidusax’s arena in Crumbling Farum Azula.
Tips for Managing Your Endings on PS5
Playing on the PlayStation 5 gives you a distinct technical advantage when chasing achievements and trophies. Because Elden Ring does not force you into New Game Plus immediately after defeating the final boss—giving you the option to explore the post-game world first—you have immense flexibility.
Here are some essential pro tips for managing your save files:
- Understand Cloud Saves: Turn off auto-upload for Elden Ring save data in your PS5 settings if you plan to manually manage your cloud backups. This ensures the game doesn't accidentally overwrite your crucial pre-boss save.
- Complete Quests Early: Many NPC questlines fail or get locked out once you progress past burning the Erdtree or turning Leyndell into the Ash Capital. Always use a reliable guide to finish side content beforehand.
- Keep Backups Fresh: Make it a habit to upload your save data to the PlayStation Plus cloud storage right before entering the final boss arena. This guarantees you can experiment with every single ending without replaying the entire game.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I get all Elden Ring endings in one playthrough on PS5?
A: Yes, you can achieve all endings in a single playthrough on your PlayStation 5 by utilizing manual save backups via PlayStation Plus cloud storage or a USB drive. You simply need to complete the prerequisite questlines for each ending, back up your save file right before the final decision, and reload that save after triggering each distinct cinematic.
Q: How do I backup my save file on PS5 for multiple endings?
A: To back up your save on PS5, go to Settings, select Saved Data and Game/App Settings, choose Saved Data (PS5), select Sync Saved Data or upload to Cloud Storage. Alternatively, you can copy your save data to a USB drive formatted to FAT32 or exFAT. Just ensure automatic cloud sync is turned off so your progress isn't accidentally overwritten.
Q: What is the secret ending of Elden Ring?
A: While all alternate conclusions have secret requirements, the "Lord of Frenzied Flame" and the "Age of the Stars" feature entirely unique cinematic cutscenes and drastically alter the state of the world compared to the standard Elden Lord paths. The Age of the Stars, in particular, is widely regarded as the true narrative counterweight to the default game.
Q: Can I undo the Frenzied Flame ending if I accidentally trigger it?
A: Yes, you can reverse the Frenzied Flame branding, but it requires a very specific and hidden questline. You must complete Millicent's quest, defeat Malenia in the Haligtree, use the Unalloyed Gold Needle on the bloom to acquire Miquella's Needle, and then use that needle inside the secret boss arena of Dragonlord Placidusax in Crumbling Farum Azula.
Q: Does burning the Erdtree lock me out of any endings?
A: Burning the Erdtree and transforming Leyndell into the Ash Capital will permanently fail certain NPC questlines, most notably Goldmask's quest and parts of Corhyn's trajectory, as well as several items in the capital. It is always recommended to finish all optional side content and NPC quests before setting fire to the Erdtree.
Q: Which ending is considered the canonical one?
A: FromSoftware games famously avoid confirming a single canon ending to leave player interpretation open. However, the default Age of Fracture is experienced by the vast majority of players on their first run, while the Age of the Stars is the most fleshed-out alternate narrative path with its own unique trophy achievement.
Q: Do I have to start New Game Plus immediately after finishing the game?
A: No. After watching the credits roll and the final cinematic concludes, Elden Ring will present you with a prompt asking if you wish to start Journey 2 (New Game Plus) immediately. You can choose "No," allowing you to stay in your current world to mop up remaining achievements, farm upgrade materials, and explore DLC content before moving on.
