Elden Ring’s first big DLC expansion is confirmed and this guide will take you the most important things to know about it and its release.
FromSoftware’s initial announcement was light on details, but it did confirm some key pieces of information for Elden Ring players and those interested in exploring the Lands Between for the first time.
Table of Contents
With anticipation mounting, we want to delve into everything you need to know right now about Elden Ring DLC and its highly anticipated release date.
Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree
While there had been a lot of speculation about the name of Elden Ring’s story expansion, those rumors missed the mark. The Elden Ring DLC expansion is titled Shadow of the Erdtree.
The developer’s announcement reads “Rise, Tarnished, and let us walk a new path together.” Elden Ring’s story centers around the Erdtree so it’s not surprising to see it included in the DLC’s title and story.
Keep in mind, you will need the base version of Elden Ring installed on your console or PC in order to play Shadow of the Erdtree. If you haven’t jumped into Elden Ring yet, take a look at our guide that goes over the game’s various editions.
Also worth noting is the fact that we don’t know if Shadow of the Erdtree is the only piece of big DLC FromSoftware’s got planned for Elden Ring.
Kadokawa Corportation, FromSoftware’s parent company, says “various measures are currently in progress” for Elden Ring “including the development of major DLC” in order to maximize the game’s lifespan.
It’s unclear what various measures means, but it’s clear there won’t be a shortage of Elden Ring content in the months, and perhaps years, ahead.
Elden Ring DLC Release Date
Unfortunately, FromSoftware didn’t provide a release date for Shadow of the Erdtree. The developer simply says Shadow of the Erdtree for Elden Ring is in development.
In an interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Bandai Namco Europe CEO Arnaud Muller says the DLC is due to release sometime soon. Soon could mean anything so don’t get your hopes up just yet.
In a recent interview, FromSoftware producer Yasuhiro Kitao states that the release date is “still a little ways off, but progress is going well.”
In an update, Kadokawa Corportation says that while “release timing of DLC for ELDEN RING has not yet been announced” the expansion’s “development is proceeding smoothly.”
Eagle-eyed Redditors spotted a potential collaboration between FromSoftware and Thrustmaster, a gaming controller manufacturer.
The references, which have since been pulled, suggest we could see the DLC arrive in February of this year. It’s also possible we simply get a trailer.
Fans have also noticed an update to the Steam data tracker website, SteamDB. A new “Unknown App 2778580” file has been added to the DLC section for Elden Ring and a lot of people believe it’s Shadow of the Erdtree.
It’s the first addition in 15 months and when something is added, it’s a usually a sign new content is coming soon.
Xbox, PlayStation & PC
FromSoftware didn’t reveal a whole lot about Shadow of the Erdtree, but it did confirm the platforms on which the DLC will be playable.
In an announcement on its Japanese site, FromSoftware says it plans to distribute the expansion on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S, and Steam.
No surprise there, given that the base version of Elden Ring supports all of these platforms.
We don’t expect any major differences between the platforms in terms of story or features, but you can expect Shadow of the Erdtree to look and play the best on PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
The base version of Elden Ring runs the best on these platforms. And while you can still have a good experience on previous generation consoles, it may leave something to be desired.
When Digital Foundry tested the base version of the game back in 2022, it found that the version for the Xbox One was the worst version of the game to play.
If you own an Xbox One or even a PS4, and you’re excited about jumping back into Elden Ring, it might be a great time to upgrade your console.
Sony’s PS5 and Microsoft’s Xbox Series X are much easier to find these days. Both were experiencing shortages back when Elden Ring first launched.
Elden Ring DLC Features
FromSoftware hasn’t confirmed anything in regard to the DLC’s story or features though it did provide a teaser image which you can see below.
The first image of Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
The concept art depicts a figure in white robes with long blond hair atop a mount that looks like Torrent, the player’s horse in the base version of Elden Ring.
Enthusiasts believe the figure riding through the ghostly terrain, with a peculiar version of the Erdtree (it looks like it’s bleeding gold) in the distance, is either Miquella or Queen Marika, but nothing has been confirmed.
Based on FromSoftware’s DLC for its Dark Souls series and Bloodborne, the expansion should offer new locations, NPCs, weapons, armor, items, spells, bosses, quests, and NPC’s.
FromSoftware producer Yasuhiro Kitao says players can expect “new battles and new characters.”
Leaker Lance McDonald has revealed some potential information about Shadow of the Erdtree including a potential hint about its size.
McDonald claims FromSoftware originally planned to offer a season pass that would include two DLC expansions. The company apparently scrapped those plans and Shadow of the Erdtree is evidently the game’s only expansion.
While that might be disappointing to some fans, McDonald says Shadow of the Erdtree will be “massive,” perhaps on par with two full expansions.
This has been corroborated by two prominent content creators, FightinCowboy and Oroboro. Oroboro, in a since deleted live stream, said the DLC could be 25 hours or more.
Elden Ring DLC Price
FromSoftware’s Elden Ring Colosseum multiplayer DLC was included in a free update, but the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC almost certainly won’t be free.
We don’t know how much FromSoftware’s single-player DLC expansion will cost, but don’t expect it to cost as much as the base version of the Elden Ring game. Elden Ring started at $59.99 for all platforms, though you can find it for much less these days.
If you go back and look at the pricing of FromSoftware’s previous DLC content for games like Dark Souls and Bloodborne, you’ll notice the prices are much less than the base game. For instance, the company’s two DLC expansions for Dark Souls 3 were both $15. Bloodborne’s DLC was $20.
While we could see Shadow of the Erdtree command a more expensive price, particularly if it’s a large expansion, we suspect it will be priced in and around $20-30.
Elden Ring DLC: 5 Things You Need to Know is a post by Adam Mills from Gotta Be Mobile.
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