Great anticipation surrounds Elden Ring ‘s next big expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, especially after the release of the PvP-focused Colosseum DLC. With a reveal now upon us, here’s a complete summary of everything there is to know about the upcoming expansion.
The phenomenal success of Elden Ring left fans wanting more. The gaming community has been speculating for months, eagerly awaiting FromSoftware’s next move, which could mirror their history of substantial DLC releases in the Soulsborne series.
The free Colosseum update announced the next phase of Elden Ring, and now fans are wondering what future DLC will look like. Finally, answers are starting to become clear as FromSoftware has revealed a full-fledged expansion coming for the game.
Here’s everything we know about Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, based on rumors, leaks, FromSoftware’s journey, and what’s been announced so far.
Of course, as we discuss endgame and post-endgame content, spoilers will be present for those who have not completed Elden Ring.
Shadow of the Erdtree looms over the community of Elden Ring.
DLC Shadow of the Erdtree dans Elden Ring
After Elden Ring won Game of the Year at the GOTY Awards, Miyazaki said in his acceptance speech: “For Elden Ring, we have several other things we want to do.”
We now know that the next DLC will be Shadow of the Erdtree which will likely continue the game’s story or offer a substantial new quest line to follow.
According to data miner Lance McDonald, Shadow of the Erdtree will be a sizable expansion, roughly the size of two separate DLC packs. This would make the content similar in scope to Bloodborne’s only DLC, The Old Hunters, a significant expansion that changed the entire fabric of the game, also offering a large new area to explore, new bosses and narrative content.
Lance McDonald also reports that a planned Season Pass for Elden Ring including several small DLC packs has been scrapped in favor of Shadow of the Erdtree.
If Lance is right, this could mean that Shadow of the Erdtree will end up being Elden Ring’s only DLC, not counting the Colosseum update. Development time certainly lends weight to this idea.
During a 2023 interview with Japanese media outlet Game Watch, FromSoftware’s Yasuhiro Kitao compared Shadow of the Erdtree to Bloodborne’s The Old Hunters DLC. This is significant because Bloodborne only had one DLC, but made sure it was bigger than an average FromSoft DLC.
The Old Hunters was much more than a DLC with a new quest and map to explore, it also changed the base game, adding new side quests, NPCs, and much more. So if Shadow of the Erdtree mirrors The Old Hunters in scope, we could see an expansion that changes or adds to the existing game in a meaningful way.
The DLC Elden Ring Shadow of the Earthtree at-il une date de sortie?
Aside from minor updates, Elden Ring’s first big, likely paid expansion – Shadow of the Erdtree – is on the way, but FromSoftware has yet to officially confirm a release window. However, we might not have to wait much longer.
Shadow of the Erdtree was first revealed on February 28, 2023, when a tweet informed players that Elden Ring DLC was in development. The DLC began development shortly after the release of the base game, leading some media outlets to assume that the expansion was an entirely new project.
Rise, Tarnished, and let us walk a new path together.An upcoming expansion for #ELDENRING Shadow of the Erdtree, is currently in development.We hope you look forward to new adventures in the Lands Between. pic.twitter.com/cjJYijM7Mw
— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) February 28, 2023
The game’s page on Steam was updated in early 2024 and again in February, indicating that while time may still pass, FromSoft is preparing for the eventual or imminent launch of Shadow of the Erd Tree. Of course, this might not mean anything at all. However, it’s only a matter of time before the Elden Ring expansion is revealed in full.
In February 2024, FromSoftware talked about the Elden Ring DLC saying, “We are currently working hard on the development of the DLC for Elden Ring.” This was seen as the company casting doubt on the possibility of a surprise release that month.
On February 20, Elden Ring developers once again broke their silence, confirming that a full reveal is imminent. The first gameplay trailer for Shadow of the Erdress is scheduled to release on February 21 at 7am PT, with a running time of three minutes.
The first gameplay trailer for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will be revealed tomorrow 🔥 It should last 3 minutes! pic.twitter.com/1VXnPSVMO1
— DEXERTO.FR (@dexertoFR) February 20, 2024
We’re sure to learn a lot about the expansion here, including its setting, scope, and of course, a release date too.
Elden Ring DLC Rumors and Leaks
There is also the possibility of additional DLC after Shadow of the Erdtree. While we don’t know if there will be one, or what it would look like, here are some other rumors circulating around the web. Of course, none of this information is confirmed:
Thustmaster Rumor
A leak suggests that Shadow of the Erd Tree will launch in February 2024 in a partnership between Bandai Namco and Thrustmaster, with a new controller also releasing alongside it. This leak was revealed on Reddit and seems unlikely to us. However, anything can happen, but we advise you to take this with great caution.
Leaked new bosses
Leaker Sekirodubi has found hidden clues in the code of one of Elden Ring’s patches containing information about potential upcoming content.
Elden Ring players have been experiencing major performance issues on PC.
The update contains references to new items and hairstyles, but also up to 30 new bosses. Up to 16 new characters/NPCs or enemies referenced as “Someone Still Unknown” have also been spotted by the dedicated data miner.
Elden Dreams
As first reported by Eurogamer, data miner Lance McDonald discovered that Elden Ring once contained items and quests involving exploring the dreams of certain NPCs. Although the content was cut from the main game, it could be kept for the DLC.
In the cut content, an NPC called Monk Jiko asks the Tarnished to bring him something called Dream Mist. To obtain it, the player must invade the NPC’s dreams. This offers plenty of creative possibilities and will allow players to battle literal nightmares, in addition to all the other horrors that lurk in the Midlands.
I worked really hard on this video you should look at it and tell your friend(s) to look at it https://t.co/bU7soHcJP0
— Lance McDonald (@manfightdragon) April 11, 2022
Extended endings
The DLC for Bandai Namco’s last two games with FromSoftware, Dark Souls, DS 2, and 3, featured DLC that extended the ending of the base game. However, it did so without contradicting or changing any ending the player had already unlocked.
The Three Crowns DLC in Dark Souls 2 allowed the player to complete an additional quest, once all 3 DLC packs were completed, which unlocked a new ending. This essentially gave the player a third option, in addition to linking or dismissing fire.
Those who completed both Dark Souls 3 DLC packs were treated to a companion ending, one that sat alongside any other ending the player had unlocked while playing the base game.
This essentially offered the characters a way to escape the dying world by entering a painted world. It will be interesting to see how Elden Ring’s DLC impacts the game’s different endings or the world we explore.
Boss du DLC Fire Ring
Even if you hunt down every Shardbearer in Elden Ring, there is one demigod who escapes your round of deicide. This is Miquella the Unaltered, still sleeping safely inside her egg when the end credits roll.
Miquella is Malenia’s twin brother and is said to be the most powerful demigod in Elden Ring. So, if that’s the case, why don’t we ever fight it? One answer is that we can obtain his shard of the Elden Ring by killing his captor and half-brother Mohg the Blood Lord, so there is no need to deal with him. Even Gideon Ofnir tells us to leave Miquella alone, but was that an error of judgment?
FromSoftware doesn’t do anything by accident when it comes to Souls bosses, so we suspect Miquella’s absence is intentional. Let’s not forget that the demigod sleeps in his egg to become powerful enough to repair his family, especially his sister, whom he aims to cure of her scarlet rot.
He’s unlikely to be happy when he wakes up to find that a new Lord of Elden has risen and slaughtered his entire family – including Malenia. This perfectly positions Miquella to be the big bad in any Elden Ring DLC. Not only is he gaining power, but he’s also going to have a grudge against the Tarnished once he realizes what happened.
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