Almost a year after the DLC for Elden Ring was announced to be in development, we finally have our first look at Shadow of the Erdtree, as well as a release date. And as one would expect, there’s plenty of new sights to see and new ways to die. From Software’s boss Hidetaka Miyazaki told Eurogamer that this is their “largest expansion to date” which will add onto the game’s original story.
Shadow of the Erdtree takes place in a brand new map, which is larger than Limgrave according to Miyazaki. The aim behind its design is to organize the fields and dungeons in a more seamless manner to diversify the gameplay even further. There will be new bosses, weapons, equipment, and skills. To accommodate new weapon types, eight new weapon categories have been introduced as well.
Those who have played From Software games prior will know that their expansions often crank the difficulty up to where the scale used to measure such a thing shatters. Shadow of the Erdtree has no plans to change this foundation, as Elden Ring allows for flexibility with its player agency. Miyazaki says he wants players to retain all the freedom in their approach to the challenges that lie ahead. While specifically mentioning Malenia, who is an optional fight yet the most infamous, Miyazaki also says that if you’re looking for a challenge you will find it here in that similar vein. Speaking of Malenia, Shadow of the Erdtree’s story follows her brother, Miquella, a tragic demigod cursed with eternal youth. There’s no telling yet if he’ll need to be fought or saved; perhaps that decision will be left in the hands of the Tarnished.
Shadow of the Erdtree launches on June 21 for all platforms, and the trailer can be watched in full below.