Elden Ring Alternative Starting Area & Melina Cutscene Found

Everyone who's set foot in Elden Ring's massive world, the Lands Between, has started their journey at the Chapel of Anticipation, lost to (or beat and then died anyway) to Grafted Scion after falling to their death. Then, they spawn in a cave in Limgrave, which works like a tutorial area...

But in an alternate universe, you might have experienced a completely different starting area. It appears that Elden Ring had an alternative starting area during development, and it even made a bit more sense.

Elden Ring's Beach Starting Location & Datamined Cutscene

Instead of waking up in the cave, you are supposed to wake up close to the Seaside Ruins on the western shore of Limgrave, a sandy beach to the southeast of the Stranded Graveyard. 

That does make more logical sense, to be fair, since how does one fall from a beachside cliff and end up in a cave...instead of on a beach? The could be two reasons, which I've probably thought about longer than I should.

First, the whole experience of making it out of the tutorial cave and getting your first glimpse of the vastness of the Lands Between is amazing. Secondly, if you are just throw into the open world from the start, Elden Ring might be even more daunting, especially since even in the tutorial cave, some players miss many starting gameplay tips.

It's definitely something to chew on. Check out the datamined findings from Sekiro Dubi, as well as the cutscene featuring Melina and Torrent below!