The first trailer of the Shadow of the Erdtree has finally dropped, and here is everything you can expect from the upcoming DLC.
FromSoft’s Elden Ring was a smash hit back in 2022, and players (like me) have been waiting for the DLC update for the past 2 years. With the first tease of the DLC on X last year, tarnished across the world are eager to see what Miyazaki has been cooking.
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Many unanswered questions were left with the initial ending of the Elden Ring. Like every soul-like game from FromSoft, players knew that the story isn’t finished until the DLC is out and that seems to be the case with Shadow of the Erdtree as well.
The new trailer showcases new armor, plots, weapons, enemies, bosses, and more. In this article, I will provide all the details currently available, the rumors, and some personal thoughts in the mix. So, if you want to learn about the Shadow of the Erdtree, then keep on reading!
When is Shadow of the Erdtree Coming Out?
Let’s answer the most sought-after question first. The one and only DLC of Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree is coming out on June 21, 2024. As of this date, there hasn’t been any indication that the developers are planning any more DLC releases of the game (Sorry Darksouls Fans).
The game will be available on Steam and Epic, and you can also preorder the DLC right now!
System Requirements Of the DLC
From the requirements posted by their official Steam page, you will find that the Shadow of the Erdtree has identical system requirements except for the storage requirement. There is a 25% storage increase which I presume is for the DLC contents.
How to Access the DLC?
If they follow the previous pattern then you will have to access the DLC through certain NPCs or areas of the game. My bet is on touching the hand of Miquella at Mohgwin palace.
What Are We Getting in Shadow of the Erdtree?
This is the part you have been waiting for. Like previous Souls games, the DLC will bring new content, playable areas, and more. Let’s dive into them:
New Area: Shadowland/Dreamland?
The Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is an expansion of the game which will include a new area. While the official name of the area hasn’t been revealed, rumors suggest it is the dreamland where Miquella is currently residing.
According to the interview Hidetaka Miyazaki shared with Eurogamer, this expansion will be the largest expansion FromSoft has ever created. It is also said to be larger than Limgrave.
Now I know what you’re thinking: the largest expansion from FromSoft but only larger than Limgrave? I think wordplay is being used here. Miyazaki is doing an underplay and then delivering his best work to catch us off-guard. He specifically said ‘Larger’, this means the expansion area will definitely be larger than Limgrave but what will it be smaller too?
I am hoping to get more than what we got in the Ringed City DLC from Dark Souls 3. Also, keep in mind that there are a lot of legacy dungeons and swamp areas (devs love to torture us)
New Bosses & Enemies
The cryptic messages continue as the Devs also shared that there will be at least 10 new bosses in the game. Now, these bosses are most likely to be story bosses otherwise the excitement of the DLC would be way off. This is due to the fact that Limgrave itself had more than 30 overworld bosses and Shadow of Erdtree is supposed to be larger than Limgrave.
From the trailer, I’ve noticed a giant boss identical to the fire giant we encounter in the consecrated snowfield. He seems to have some sort of furnace burning on top of his head and spews more fire than the fire giant we meet in the game.
There is also a highlight on the new Chimera boss, who’s likely to be some sort of Omen hybrid whose feet look identical to Morgott’s. It seems that we will also encounter one of Malenia’s sisters too.
But the highlight will be on Mesmer, the poster villain in the game, a demigod who will also drop a new rune, possibly leading to a new end-credit scene.
There are a lot more bosses, like a new variation of the Albenuric boss, Dragonic Tree Sentinel but now on a Boar? And new enemies like Mindflayers from DS2, who suck your brains out, heavy sword-wielding assassins, and more will join the frey.
New Playstyle, Weapons and Armor Sets
Of course, there will be new weapons and armor sets. We’ve got some glimpses of them in the trailer, and they look awesome. I am most excited to see the new double-handed armaments and of course, the monk playstyle that has been showcased.
There are 8 new weapon categories added in the game with the current 31 weapon categories.
New magic sorceries and incantations will also be added.
In the DLC trailer, the first armor that was showcased is a heavy knight armor which is quite identical to the Carian Armor set in the game.
There is a Roman Ligonier-esque armor set, which might also come with a heavy sword.
And a ceramic-based armor set will join the mix. Oh, did I mention that we will get a throwable explosive in the game? Yeah, that’s in the DLC too!
Answering Plot Questions
Shadow of the Erdtree will be highly likely to answer what is going on with Miquella. We will trace his footsteps to this Shadowland and encounter Mesmer. The trailer ends with Miquella healing the Tree showcased in the tease and trailer.
Keep in mind that the tree here isn’t the Erdtree, it might be the Haligtree or some other variation of it.
My Insights
A lot more drip marketing and info will come from this article’s publication and the DLC’s release. But I think that we might be going back to the past or future even. FromSoft is known for the time travel gimmick, so I won’t be surprised.
I really hope we can finally meet Queen Marika this time around and also find the truth of Raani and Melina’s true identity and more. One reason I believe we are going into the past is the fire giant-looking boss. If he is part of the giant race, then it would make sense we killed the last fire giant in the present.
We also see a young Rennala(?) or her ancestors in the trailer (In present, all of them are dead). Also, Death Root and Blight are present in the trailer, but if we finished the game then it shouldn’t be in the present.
Moreover, the legacy dungeon we see in the trailer shares a striking resemblance to the structure of the crumbling Faram Azula (not so crumbling this time). The Omen boss might be the first descendant of the Omen line entirely.
Lastly, Mesmer seems a lot like Rykard with the snake, fire, and blood-red hair. It is not uncommon for Souls game to have multiple names for a single character. Maybe this is the version of Rykard that was fighting before he decided to become a complete snake? Perhaps that’s why he’s immortal? The possibilities are endless.
With all said and done, I am really excited to see what’s coming with the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Keep following for more updates and guides on Elden Ring!
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