Elden Ring fans are getting a second helping of this behemoth of a game. We have known for a long while now that FromSoftware is crafting a DLC expansion called Shadow of the Erdtree. We haven’t seen the game expansion for a bit, but that changed today. The developers were able to showcase the upcoming expansion with a thrilling new gameplay trailer. Of course, that only adds fuel to the fire as fans are hopeful some of the questions they have to get answered sooner rather than later.
Fortunately, IGN had the chance to speak with FromSoftware’s head, Hidetaka Miyazaki. During their conversation, we got a bit more insight into the game. While not everything could be dived into detail quite yet, there were some areas Hidetaka could offer that wouldn’t necessarily spoil the fun for players. For starters, we know that this expansion is taking players to a brand new land.
Hidetaka noted that this DLC is on a separate map, and there’s a warp of sorts that will take players there. While in the same universe, you will explore plenty of new areas. However, the actual gameplay structure will remain the same as what you’ve experienced in the base game.
First of all, the setting of Shadow of the Erdtree is a brand new land. It’s a brand new map separate from the Lands Between. It is a land that is overshadowed by the particular Shadow of the Erdtree as opposed to the Erdtree in the Lands Between. And it takes place, again, on an entirely separate, physically separate map. So it will involve a warp of sorts to get there.
In terms of setting and themes, it technically occupies the same space as the Lands Between, the same universe. But due to something story related that we won’t reveal today, this has become physically disconnected, and you’ll travel to the Shadow of the Erdtree land as a separate place.
Hidetaka Miyazaki – IGN
There will be plenty of open areas, large-scale legacy dungeons, smaller dungeons, and other notable areas you can uncover during your journey. But we don’t know the specific size just yet. Instead, FromSoftware’s Hidetaka only noted that it’s comparable or potentially larger than the area of Limgrave.
Again, not too many details were ready to be unveiled to the public. With that said, we do know George R. R. Martin wasn’t involved with the expansion. In the interview with IGN, we learned that the developers were inspired by the mythos created by Martin from the base game. The same mythos were used in the groundwork for Shadow of the Erdtree, but the famed author didn’t make anything exclusively new for this DLC.
As for what the future might hold, that’s still a mystery for the Elden Ring franchise. We don’t have any news on whether there will be another DLC or a sequel to the game. But it seems like FromSoftware is not ready just to shut the book on this IP either. So we’ll have to wait and see what might become of Elden Ring after Shadow of the Erdtree drops. Currently, the expansion is set to launch on June 21, 2024.
