As I sat down for my interview in 2026, the question wasn't about my next championship bout or a legendary rivalry. It was about my other passion, the one that kept me company through long nights of recovery and offered a different kind of challenge. When Cody Rhodes asked me, "What do you wanna talk about?" I knew the answer immediately: Elden Ring. The number still surprises people when I say it out loud. Over six hundred hours. That's more than twenty-five full days of my life spent traversing the Lands Between, battling demigods, and uncovering secrets in a world that feels endlessly vast.

My journey with FromSoftware's masterpiece began back in 2022, not long after its release. The world was buzzing about its difficulty, its beauty, and its sheer scope. As someone who thrives on competition and mastering complex systems, I was instantly hooked. Back then, I famously—or infamously—reached Level 527. Okay, I'll admit it: I paid a guy a thousand bucks to get me to Level 100 right at the start. Don't judge me! The grind was real, and I wanted to dive into the end-game content and help my friends without the initial hundred-hour slog. But every single hour after that? All me. That initial boost just let me start playing the game the way I wanted to, exploring every corner without being one-shotted by every minor enemy. The appreciation I developed for the game's design, its punishing but fair combat, and its hauntingly beautiful world was entirely genuine.

from-the-ring-to-the-lands-between-my-600-hour-journey-as-a-gamer-image-0

So, how does a WWE Superstar find 600 hours? The answer, unfortunately, isn't glamorous. In late 2023, I underwent spinal fusion surgery. The road to recovery was long, painful, and, frankly, boring. I was sidelined from the one thing I had done my entire life. Elden Ring became my sanctuary. While my body healed, my mind was in The Lands Between. Those months of mandatory rest provided the time, but it was the game's incredible depth that commanded it. I wasn't just playing through the story; I was living in it. I tried every build I could imagine:

  • The Colossal Weapon Brute: Smashing enemies with giant hammers, feeling every impact.

  • The Dexterous Spellblade: Weaving magic and swordplay, a dance of death requiring precise timing.

  • The Faithful Paladin: Bolstering my allies with incantations, a different kind of strength.

I sought out every optional boss, solved every obscure puzzle, and read every item description, piecing together the tragic lore of Queen Marika and the Shattering. According to most guides, a completionist run of the base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC takes about 180 hours. I've done that pace almost three and a half times over. For me, it was never about just checking boxes. It was about mastery and immersion in a world that felt real in its mystery and danger.

And just when I thought I had seen it all, Shadow of the Erdtree dropped in 2024. It was a revelation. Five million copies sold in three days! The gaming world was electrified all over again, and so was I. The Realm of Shadow presented new, even more brutal challenges. Bosses like Messmer the Impaler and the Divine Beast Dancing Lion tested my skills in ways I hadn't experienced since my first playthrough. The DLC wasn't just more content; it was a refinement and expansion of everything that made the base game great. It quickly became one of the highest-rated DLCs of all time, and playing through it during my recovery felt like being part of a global event from my living room.

My Gaming Milestones Year Notes
Elden Ring - Level 527 Reached 2022 The journey begins (with a little help at the start!).
Starfield - 50 Hours Played 2023 A cosmic distraction before my surgery.
Spinal Fusion Surgery Late 2023 The catalyst for my deepest dive.
Elden Ring - 600+ Hours Logged 2024-Present A testament to recovery and passion.
Shadow of the Erdtree Mastered 2024 Conquered the new lands.

This isn't my first deep dive into a game, of course. I spent a good 50 hours in Starfield last year, getting lost in Bethesda's galaxy. But Elden Ring is different. It's a special game that FromSoftware created, and even they admitted they weren't entirely sure why it resonated so deeply with millions. I think I know why. It's the ultimate test of perseverance. In the ring, you get knocked down, you get back up. In The Lands Between, you die—a lot—but you learn, you adapt, and you overcome. The principle is the same: never give up.

Looking back from 2026, my 600-hour adventure is more than a gaming statistic. It's a chapter of my life intertwined with recovery, patience, and finding passion outside the ring. It's a story of how a virtual world can provide real solace and challenge. So, to all the Tarnished out there still exploring, still fighting: I salute you. Maybe I'll see you online. Just don't be surprised if my character hits a bit harder than most. 😉 After all, some habits are hard to break, whether you're in WWE or in a FromSoftware masterpiece.