Another ocean Soulslike is coming after Elden Ring, but should we believe it?

According to a roundup by vidaextra, overseas communities are once again circulating rumors about a mysterious FromSoftware project codenamed “Cerulean Onslaught.” The talk points to a new sea-themed game built on the world of Elden Ring, with some claims even mentioning a reveal at this year’s Summer Game Fest and a launch in August 2026. vidaextra is clear on one thing, though: there is currently no official evidence that any of it is real.

That rumor keeps resurfacing because the pitch is immediately attractive. Many players are already calling it an “ocean Soulslike,” and the supposed feature set is easy to understand: naval travel, island adventures, underwater exploration, and giant boss fights. For anyone who likes open-world games, those keywords are almost custom-built to spark interest.

What gives this latest round more traction is how closely “Cerulean Onslaught” overlaps with the earlier “Project FMC” rumor. Both center on ships, island exploration, and oversized bosses, so plenty of players see them as different labels for the same idea. The problem is that this kind of speculation has resurfaced repeatedly over the past 10 years. After Bloodborne DLC The Old Hunters launched in 2016, the Fishing Hamlet chapter’s heavy cosmic and maritime horror atmosphere was already enough to make players imagine a full Souls-style game built around the sea. Later came the rumored magic RPG “Spellbound,” and then 2025 brought the codename “Project FMC.”

Even so, it is easy to see why players keep coming back to the idea. FromSoftware has spent years scattering ocean-related elements across its games, and Elden Ring in particular is full of lore tied to the sea, exile, and long voyages. The setting includes Godfrey and his warriors being stripped of grace and sailing with a fleet to the “Badlands.” Item descriptions for equipment like the rusted anchor and cannon also hint at maritime civilizations beyond what the game directly explores. From a worldbuilding perspective, the foundation for an ocean-focused Souls game is clearly there.

If a project like this does exist, the key would not be simply moving Souls combat onto the water. It would need to build real layers into exploration. The islands would need to feel distinct, sea routes could not just function as travel time, and underwater areas could not be reduced to caves painted in a different color. Otherwise, a bigger map would just mean repeated content, which would be more frustrating than a linear structure.

As for credibility, the advice here is simple: don’t celebrate early, and don’t mark down August 2026 just yet. vidaextra has already stressed that all of the current “leaks” lack substantive evidence, and past rumors like “Spellbound” never turned into an official announcement. For FS fans, the smartest move now is not to chase every claim, but to watch real checkpoints like this year’s Summer Game Fest.

If it does eventually turn out to be an ocean Soulslike spun out of the Elden Ring universe, I’d be more than willing to climb aboard. FromSoftware is at its best not when it fills the map with signposts, but when it gives players a distant patch of fog and makes them want to head there themselves. Until the company says otherwise, though, this sea remains a set of rumor coordinates, not a harbor anyone has actually reached.