Thanks to a hack discovered today by a Twitter user, players have found a way around Elden Ring‘s lack of pause function in-game. It turns out there’s no need to introduce mods to pause the action in The Lands Between after all. According to Twitter user IronPineapple, the game can actually be paused by entering the inventory screen, pressing the help button and then selecting ‘menu explanation’.
Some Elden Ring players have loudly lamented the game’s missing pause function, while others have claimed that the removal of the ability to pause the game is actually in keeping with the game’s challenging level of difficulty. In a game like Elden Ring, where gameplay is defined by high-brutality combat and intense challenge, being prevented from pausing to think forms a core component of the game’s style. However, others have argued that excluding a pause function from the game entirely is actually an accessibility barrier. There are many reasons why a game such as Elden Ring should include a pause button, but it seems like for many, the omission of one is a clear design choice, regardless of where it leaves certain players in terms of accessibility. Wherever you land on the question of ‘to pause, or not to pause,’ Iron Pineapple’s workaround does seem to be working, for the time being at least.
Don’t get too excited about this seemingly overlooked fix to the issue though. It’s highly likely that this will be patched in an upcoming update, as it’s clear Elden Ring‘s designers didn’t seem to want to implement pause functionality in-game at all. However, if you are looking to stop and catch your breath during your next journey into the stunning but punishing world of The Lands Between, you can try out this hack to help you take a break.
