Skip to main content
Join The Community
- Join our community
11
Premium Benefits
24/7
Access Available
21K+
Active Members
Commenting
Join the discussion
Exclusive Articles Coming Soon
Member-only articles
Weekly Newsletters
Weekly gaming & entertainment news
Member Badges
Earn badges as you go
Exclusive Competitions
Members-only prize draws
Curated Deals Coming Soon
Tech and gaming deals worth grabbing
GET COMMUNITY ACCESS QUICK
For the quickest way to join, simply enter your email below and get access. We will send a confirmation and sign you up to our newsletter to keep you updated on all your gaming news.
By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
FIND OUT ABOUT OUR MAGAZINE
Want to subscribe to the magazine? Click the button below to find out more information.
Find out more
GET Community ACCESS QUICK

Join the GamesRadar community for quick access. Enter your email below and we'll send confirmation, and sign you up to our newsletter.

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

Background
Welcome to GamesRADAR+ Community !
Hi ,

Your membership journey starts here.

Keep exploring and earning more as a member.

MY ACCOUNT

Badge picture
Earn your first badge
Read 1 article to unlock your first badge.
Keep earning badges
Explore ways to get more involved as a member.
Latest Games News

Latest Games News

Breaking gaming news and updates

Read Now
Latest Games Reviews

Latest Games Reviews

Expert verdicts on the newest releases

Read Now

See what you’ve unlocked.

Explore your membership benefits.

Explore
Member Exclusives

Stay Ahead with GamesRadar+

Get the biggest gaming news, reviews, and releases straight to your inbox.

Explore

Sign Out
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Games
    • Game Insights
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
    • Genres
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
    • Franchises
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • Insights
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
    • Computing
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
    • Accessories & Tech
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
  • home
  • Games
    • View Games
      • Games News
      • Games Features
      • Games Reviews
      • Games Guides
      • Big in 2026
      • The Big Preview
      • On The Radar
      • Indie Spotlight
      • Future Games Show
      • Golden Joystick Awards
      • Action Games
      • RPGs
      • Action RPGs
      • Adventure Games
      • Third Person Shooters
      • FPS Games
    • Platforms
      • View Platforms
      • PS5
      • Xbox Series X
      • PC
      • Nintendo Switch
      • Nintendo Switch 2
      • Tabletop Gaming
      • Grand Theft Auto
      • Pokemon
      • Assassin's Creed
      • Monster Hunter
      • Fortnite
      • Cyberpunk
      • Red Dead
      • The Elder Scrolls
      • The Sims
  • Entertainment
    • View Entertainment
    • TV Shows
      • View TV Shows
      • TV News
      • TV Reviews
      • Anime Shows
      • Sci-Fi Shows
      • Superhero Shows
      • Animated Shows
      • Marvel TV Shows
      • Star Wars TV Shows
      • DC TV Shows
    • Movies
      • View Movies
      • Movie News
      • Movie Reviews
      • Big Screen Spotlight
      • Superhero Movies
      • Action Movies
      • Anime Movies
      • Sci-Fi Movies
      • Horror Movies
      • Marvel Movies
      • DC Movies
    • Streaming
      • View Streaming
      • Apple TV Plus
      • Disney Plus
      • Netflix
      • HBO
      • Amazon Prime Video
      • Hulu
    • Comics
      • View Comics
      • Marvel Comics
      • DC Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Lego
    • Dungeons and Dragons
    • Merch
  • Hardware
    • View Hardware
      • Hardware News
      • Hardware Reviews
      • Hardware Features
      • Desktop PCs
      • Laptops
      • Handhelds
    • Peripherals
      • View Peripherals
      • Headsets & Headphones
      • TVs & Monitors
      • Gaming Mice
      • Gaming Keyboards
      • Gaming Chairs
      • Speakers & Audio
      • Gaming Controllers
      • Tech
      • SSDs & Hard Drives
      • VR
      • Accessories
      • Retro
  • Deals
    • View Deals
    • Game Deals
    • Tech Deals
    • TV Deals
    • Buying Guides
  • Video
  • Newsletters
    • Quizzes
    • About Us
    • How to pitch to us
    • How we score
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Total Film
Trending
  • Pokemon Winds and Waves
  • New Games for 2026
  • Submit your game clips
  • GDC
Don't miss these
Emma stands alone in key art for Beast of Reincarnation among huge trees in a forest
Action RPGs Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation is not open-world and has difficulty settings unlike soulslikes
Beast of Reincarnation screenshot which shows the protagonist engaged in close-quarters combat with three enemies
Action RPGs Beast of Reincarnation's battles are about "the joyful dilemma of choice", building on Pokemon battle planning expertise
Emma stands alone in key art for Beast of Reincarnation among huge trees in a forest, with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 frame
Action RPGs The Pokemon developer's new action RPG pits one woman and her dog against a "harsh and unforgiving" world
RPGs Sorry, the Fable reboot doesn't feature a dog companion, Playground lead confirms
Divinity
RPGs Baldur's Gate 3 director's big Divinity mystery has apparently been solved – this detail sure wasn't an accident
Lords of the Fallen 2 saintess with white hair and green eyes
Action RPGs Accused of copying FromSoftware's homework, Lords of the Fallen 2 boss says Elden Ring Nightreign lookalike is from 2024
Emma encounters a huge deer in Beast of Reincarnation
Action RPGs Beast of Reincarnation: Everything we know about the Pokemon developer's flashy new action RPG
A screenshot of a man holding red fire in his palm in Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2
Action RPGs I played Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 and rolled through the Lands Between as the new Knight class
Emma sleeps on a wooden floor with thin sheets, her ivy hair sprawling near her head in Beast of Reincarnation
RPGs Pokemon developer to launch Beasts of Reincarnation in August, promising "one-person, one-dog action"
Elden Ring
Fantasy Movies Elden Ring movie release date speculation, cast, director, and more
Arc Raiders Shrouded Sky teaser
Third Person Shooters Arc Raiders fans suspect the new Arc from the roadmap is hiding in plain sight in the Shrouded Sky teaser
A person seen with a helmet over their eyes and one hand raised into the air in The Duskbloods trailer
Action RPGs Elden Ring and The Duskbloods were missing from today's third-party Nintendo Direct, and fans aren't taking it well
Emma sleeps on a wooden floor with thin sheets, her ivy hair sprawling near her head in Beast of Reincarnation
Action RPGs Pokemon dev Game Freak sets summer 2026 release window for its new "one-person, one-dog action RPG"
Divinity
RPGs After Baldur's Gate 3's famous bear scene, Larian makes a threat or perhaps a promise about Divinity's lizards: "I am doing it right now"
Crimson Desert
Open World Games I played 6 hours of Crimson Desert, but it feels like I've barely scratched the surface of this RPG's open world
  1. Games
  2. Action
  3. Elden Ring

Elden Ring detectives can't decide if the beast warrior from the trailer is a dog or not

News
By Austin Wood published 29 July 2021

They're measuring snouts and counting teeth over here

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Elden Ring
(Image credit: Bandai Namco)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


Want to add more newsletters?

GamesRadar+

Every Friday

GamesRadar+

Your weekly update on everything you could ever want to know about the games you already love, games we know you're going to love in the near future, and tales from the communities that surround them.

GTA 6 O'clock

Every Thursday

GTA 6 O'clock

Our special GTA 6 newsletter, with breaking news, insider info, and rumor analysis from the award-winning GTA 6 O'clock experts.

Knowledge

Every Friday

Knowledge

From the creators of Edge: A weekly videogame industry newsletter with analysis from expert writers, guidance from professionals, and insight into what's on the horizon.

The Setup

Every Thursday

The Setup

Hardware nerds unite, sign up to our free tech newsletter for a weekly digest of the hottest new tech, the latest gadgets on the test bench, and much more.

Switch 2 Spotlight

Every Wednesday

Switch 2 Spotlight

Sign up to our new Switch 2 newsletter, where we bring you the latest talking points on Nintendo's new console each week, bring you up to date on the news, and recommend what games to play.

The Watchlist

Every Saturday

The Watchlist

Subscribe for a weekly digest of the movie and TV news that matters, direct to your inbox. From first-look trailers, interviews, reviews and explainers, we've got you covered.

SFX

Once a month

SFX

Get sneak previews, exclusive competitions and details of special events each month!


Join the club

Get full access to premium articles, exclusive features and a growing list of member rewards.


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

The long-awaited release of a full-fat Elden Ring trailer may have calmed the game's ravenous community, but it's also inspired a new and fervid debate: is the beast warrior from the new trailer (pictured above) a dog or something else?

Nearest I can tell, this started a few days ago with a simple question on the game's subreddit: is that warrior of the canine or feline variety? The community was quickly divided, with some arguing that it is in fact a lion knight based on the shape of its nose, lips, and mane, while others highlighted the shape of the warrior's teeth as indisputable proof of doggo blood. And thus, three parties were formed: Team Lion, Team Dog, and Team Wolf. Meanwhile, Team Lolf was busily brokering a peace treaty. 

he_is_neither_a_wolf_nor_a_dog_he_is_a_noble_lion from r/Eldenring

The plot thickened as the once-joking Team Lolf gained ground thanks to an extensive breakdown citing the roars of actual lions and tigers, the bite of a panther, as well as the snout and tail of a wolf. Reddit user michel6079 began to seriously speculate that "it's unironically a 'Lolf'", and like a Big Bang, this made room for all sorts of off-the-wall theories. 

You may like
  • Emma stands alone in key art for Beast of Reincarnation among huge trees in a forest Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation is not open-world and has difficulty settings unlike soulslikes
  • Beast of Reincarnation screenshot which shows the protagonist engaged in close-quarters combat with three enemies Beast of Reincarnation's battles are about "the joyful dilemma of choice", building on Pokemon battle planning expertise
  • Emma stands alone in key art for Beast of Reincarnation among huge trees in a forest, with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 frame The Pokemon developer's new action RPG pits one woman and her dog against a "harsh and unforgiving" world

In the past few hours alone, Team Bear has come out of hibernation alongside the once-neutral amphycion stans, also known as Team Bear Dog, not to mention Team Chimera, made up of staunch believers of a mixed breed beast warrior, and even Team Wolverine (but let's be honest, there's no way the wolverines make it out of the primaries). 

So in case anyone was wondering how the Elden Ring community has been handling the roughly six-month wait until the game's release, well, they've turned the identity of one character that gets about five seconds of limelight into an eight-faction (and growing) zoological debate. Somebody really ought to check on them soon; in the time since I started researching this, Team Giraffe and Team Platypus joined the fight in an obvious attempt to steal votes from Team Lolf and Team Chimera, respectively, and you can bet it was the two-faced Team Bear Dog that put 'em up to it. 

How long is Elden Ring? Director Hidetaka Miyazaki estimates around 30 hours with zero side trips, which is just a fraction of the time that fans have collectively put into this bestial bickering. 

Sign up to the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Weekly digests, tales from the communities you love, and more

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
CATEGORIES
PC Gaming Xbox Series X Xbox One PS5 PS4 Platforms Xbox PlayStation
Austin Wood
Austin Wood
Social Links Navigation
Senior writer

Austin has been a game journalist for 12 years, having freelanced for the likes of PC Gamer, Eurogamer, IGN, Sports Illustrated, and more while finishing his journalism degree. He's been with GamesRadar+ since 2019. They've yet to realize his position is a cover for his career-spanning Destiny column, and he's kept the ruse going with a lot of news and the occasional feature, all while playing as many roguelikes as possible.

Read more
Emma stands alone in key art for Beast of Reincarnation among huge trees in a forest
Action RPGs Game Freak's new action RPG Beast of Reincarnation is not open-world and has difficulty settings unlike soulslikes
 
 
Beast of Reincarnation screenshot which shows the protagonist engaged in close-quarters combat with three enemies
Action RPGs Beast of Reincarnation's battles are about "the joyful dilemma of choice", building on Pokemon battle planning expertise
 
 
Emma stands alone in key art for Beast of Reincarnation among huge trees in a forest, with the GamesRadar+ Big in 2026 frame
Action RPGs The Pokemon developer's new action RPG pits one woman and her dog against a "harsh and unforgiving" world
 
 
RPGs Sorry, the Fable reboot doesn't feature a dog companion, Playground lead confirms
 
 
Divinity
RPGs Baldur's Gate 3 director's big Divinity mystery has apparently been solved – this detail sure wasn't an accident
 
 
Lords of the Fallen 2 saintess with white hair and green eyes
Action RPGs Accused of copying FromSoftware's homework, Lords of the Fallen 2 boss says Elden Ring Nightreign lookalike is from 2024
 
 
Latest in Action
Protagonist Jordan in a screenshot from the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
The Last of Us Neil Druckmann's teasing the return of a The Last of Us actor in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
 
 
Assassin's Creed Shadows screenshot showing female protagonist Naoe
Assassin's Creed Assassin's Creed Shadows features "will make their way to other games," franchise lead says
 
 
GTA 6
Grand Theft Auto Ahead of GTA 6, Take-Two CEO says "It’s hard for me to imagine" including ads in a $70-$80 game: "It would seem unfair"
 
 
Death Stranding 2 PS5 screenshot
Action Games Death Stranding 2's PC player peak is better than both versions of the original game combined
 
 
The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
The Legend of Zelda Breath of the Wild star didn't know what game she was trying for, nor that it was the title role
 
 
GTA 6 Lucia
Grand Theft Auto Crimson Desert could challenge GTA 6 for Game of the Year, claims GTA 5 dev – but only if Rockstar "drop the ball"
 
 
Latest in News
Screenshot from Minecraft Dungeons 2's reveal trailer, showing a bunch of villagers standing around a blocky village.
Minecraft Minecraft Dungeons 2 takes another stab at Mojang's surprisingly great Diablo-inspired RPG spin-off later this year
 
 
Palworld
Survival Games "We have no desire to be a media empire," says Palworld publishing head but Pocketpair would be stupid to let it die out
 
 
Protagonist Jordan in a screenshot from the reveal trailer for Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet.
The Last of Us Neil Druckmann's teasing the return of a The Last of Us actor in Intergalactic: The Heretic Prophet
 
 
A screenshot of the Adoring Fan seen in The Elder Scrolls 4: Oblivion Remastered.
The Elder Scrolls Todd Howard says Oblivion leaks didn't help Bethesda or players: "Everyone is gonna have a different version"
 
 
Slay the Spire 2
Roguelike Games Slay the Spire 2 devs respond to the flurry of negative Steam reviews: "No change is necessarily permanent"
 
 
Crimson Desert
Open World Games "My dream game": After 7 hours, Palworld publishing lead delivers his Crimson Desert verdict: "This game is made for me"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Screenshot from Minecraft Dungeons 2's reveal trailer, showing a bunch of villagers standing around a blocky village.
    1
    Minecraft Dungeons 2 takes another stab at Mojang's surprisingly great Diablo-inspired action-RPG spin-off later this year
  2. 2
    Star Wars: Maul – Shadow Lord showrunner says the former Sith is "a bad guy fighting worse guys"
  3. 3
    Fallout season 3 will incorporate "a few things from the game that we've wanted to do since season one," says showrunner Geneva Robertson-Dworet
  4. 4
    Daredevil: Born Again season 2 release schedule: when is episode 1 on Disney Plus?
  5. 5
    "We try to lean in on the things where our idea of what Starfield should be aligns with the feedback that's coming in from folks who get the game": How community feedback helped Bethesda shape Starfield's biggest updates

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...