Nodusfall: 'Elden Ring Rip-off' Controversy and HoYoverse's Genre Gamble

The first Nodusfall trailer appeared less than 48 hours ago, and the gaming community immediately split into two camps. One side highlighted a series of similarities with Elden Ring: a winged warrior reminiscent of Malenia, a white-haired woman compared directly to Melina. The other argued that dark fantasy and soulslike gameplay are not FromSoftware's exclusive property. HoYoverse, a company known for anime aesthetics and gacha mechanics through Genshin Impact and Honkai, suddenly announced a departure from its familiar style to embrace dark fantasy. This shift alone made Nodusfall a hot topic. But amid the outrage, a crucial detail was overlooked: Nodusfall is not a purely single-player action RPG; it focuses on co-op boss hunting with up to four players. After following forum and social-media debates, I noticed that most accusations rely on static images from the trailer, while no official gameplay footage has been shown. To be fair, seeing a white-haired woman in a dark world and immediately concluding 'this is an Elden Ring clone' is a reaction lacking evidence. It overlooks the core design difference. Since Elden Ring was released and won Game of the Year 2026, its influence is undeniable. Many new projects adopt similar combat styles, world design, and atmosphere. But superficial similarity is rarely proof of direct copying. In an industry where all genres borrow from each other, the boundary between 'inspired by' and 'copy' is often decided by crowds rather than legal norms. Interestingly, those who compare Nodusfall to 'Elden Ring meets Monster Hunter' actually acknowledge the gameplay difference. Four-player co-op boss hunting could create a game feel closer to Monster Hunter than Elden Ring, despite the visuals. This is HoYoverse's opportunity to reshape the narrative at the next gameplay reveal. Financially, HoYoverse is one of the strongest game companies, but reputation cannot be bought. If the 'rip-off' story persists, it could hurt sales in Western markets where Elden Ring fans are passionate. Conversely, if HoYoverse proves its identity through gameplay, the current controversy could become free marketing leverage. The real pressure lies not in the trailer or online criticism, but in the next gameplay reveal, where the mechanical differences will be tested. I think jumping to conclusions now is as biased as saying every RPG copies The Legend of Zelda. We need to view the issue from multiple perspectives. Technically, game mechanics are generally not protected by copyright, while specific expressions such as character designs or art assets can be. A winged character reminiscent of Malenia may upset fans, but it does not necessarily constitute direct copying. However, in the court of public opinion, emotion often overrides reason. More broadly, Nodusfall reflects Chinese developers' ambition to enter the premium console/PC market that Elden Ring proved to be massive. HoYoverse's pivot could lead the way for others, but it also increases competition and similar accusations. Having followed many copyright disputes in gaming, I see a recurring pattern: the initial phase is emotion-driven, while data appears later. Nodusfall's real battle will begin at release. Only then will we know if similarities exist solely in visuals or cut deeper into gameplay. Esports and gaming increasingly overlap. If Nodusfall succeeds, it could become a case study in overcoming skepticism through quality and differentiation. Let's wait for the gameplay before delivering a final verdict.