The "casual" multiplayer system that Miyazaki mentioned was originally designed for Elden Ring is a co-op mode that allows players to team up with others to defeat bosses. The system was intentionally designed to be more loose and casual, allowing players to easily drop in and out of other players' games to help them defeat a boss. This system doesn't put any technical restrictions on the player and simply lets them complete a specific objective and move on. However, this doesn't mean that FromSoftware won't consider other ways of co-op play in the future, such as allowing players to play through the entire game together with a friend.
The modding community has significantly influenced the gameplay features of Elden Ring, especially with the introduction of the Seamless Co-op mod. This mod allows players to engage in cooperative gameplay without the restrictions present in the original game design5. It enables players to team up from the beginning of the game all the way to the final boss, creating a more seamless and immersive co-op experience.
The Seamless Co-op mod has gained popularity among players, with over 170,000 unique downloads since its release in late May. Its success has shown that there is a demand for more traditional cooperative gameplay in Elden Ring and potentially future games by FromSoftware4.
The modding community's efforts have not gone unnoticed by the game's creators. FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki, in an interview with PC Gamer, acknowledged the modding community's contributions and expressed that the company does not oppose or downplay players who prefer to play the game in co-op mode. Miyazaki also mentioned that the company would consider ideas like the Seamless Co-op mod in their future games.
In summary, the modding community, particularly through the Seamless Co-op mod, has impacted the gameplay features of Elden Ring by offering an alternative cooperative experience that has gained significant popularity among players and caught the attention of the game's creators.
Elden Ring creator Hidetaka Miyazaki is okay with players using mods to play the game in co-op mode2. In an interview with PC Gamer, Miyazaki said that while the team intentionally designed a "casual" system wherein players could "drop in, defeat a boss, drop out", they do not "actively oppose or downplay" players who prefer to play the game in co-op mode from beginning to end2. He also mentioned that they would consider ideas like that with their future games.