An Elden Ring player, Nora Kisaragi, has filed a lawsuit against Bandai Namco and FromSoftware in Massachusetts small claims court. The suit alleges that the developers misled consumers by concealing substantial game content, claiming a "whole new game… hidden inside" due to the games' high difficulty.

Kisaragi's argument centers on the idea that FromSoftware's notoriously challenging games, including the recent Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, mask intentionally hidden content. They cite datamined content as evidence, rejecting the common understanding that such data represents cut content. Instead, Kisaragi claims "constant hints" from developers, referencing Sekiro's art book and statements by FromSoftware President Hidetaka Miyazaki, support their theory. The core of their claim is that players paid for inaccessible content without even knowing of its existence.

The lawsuit's viability is questionable. While Massachusetts small claims court allows suits from individuals 18 and older without legal representation, the plaintiff lacks concrete evidence. The claim might fall under "Consumer Protection Law," but proving deceptive practices and consumer harm will be extremely difficult without substantial proof. Even a successful suit would likely result in limited damages.

Despite the low probability of success, Kisaragi's stated goal is to force Bandai Namco to publicly acknowledge the existence of this "hidden dimension," regardless of the lawsuit's outcome.

The gaming community largely views the lawsuit as absurd, given that extensive datamining would likely have revealed such hidden content. The presence of remnants of cut content in game code is common industry practice, not evidence of intentional deception.