Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC: Trailers, Release date & everything we know

The time to enter the mysterious Land of Shadow is almost here as Tarnished prepare for highly anticipated Elden Ring DLC. Here’s everything we know about Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, including, new gameplay additions, pre-order bonuses, story, and lore. 

Following its immense success, Elden Ring has left fans hungry for more content. The gaming community has been abuzz with speculation, eagerly awaiting FromSoftware’s next move. With a track record of delivering substantial DLC content in the Soulsborne series, hopes are high for similar offerings in the game.

Now, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion has been revealed so here’s everything we know about the Elden Ring DLC, including its lore, new gameplay details, bosses, and when we can expect to play it. Of course, as we’re discussing late and post-game content, spoilers will be lurking for those who’ve not completed Elden Ring.

Contents

• Does the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC have a release date?
• Shadow of the Erdtree trailer
• Shadow of the Erdtree lore
• Shadow of the Erdtree gameplay details
• Pre-order bonuses
• Will there be any more Elden Ring DLC?

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Does the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC have a release date?

Yes, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will be released on June 21, 2024 on all platforms.

Shadow of The Erdtree trailer

Check out the first trailer for the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC:

The second trailer was released in May 21, 2024, and was focused on the story, pitting Miquella and Messmer against one another:

Shadow of the Erdtree lore

Even if you hunt down every Shardbearer in Elden Ring, there’s one demigod that escapes your round of deicide. That is Miquella the Unalloyed, who’s still safely slumbering inside his egg when the credits roll.

Miquella is Malenia’s twin brother and is said to be the most powerful demigod in Elden Ring. So, if this is the case, why don’t we ever fight him? One answer is that we can obtain his shard of the Elden Ring by killing his captor and half-brother Mohg the Lord of Blood, so there’s no need to bother with him. Even Gideon Ofnir tells us to leave Miquella in peace, but was this short-sighted?

FromSoftware doesn’t do anything by accident when it comes to Souls bosses, therefore we suspect Miquella’s absence is by design. Let’s not forget that the demigod is slumbering in his egg to become powerful enough to fix his family, especially his sister, whom he aims to cure of her scarlet rot.

He’s unlikely to be best pleased when he wakes up to find that a new Elden Lord has risen and slaughtered his whole family – including Malenia. This perfectly positions Miquella to be the big bad of any Elden Ring DLC. Not only is he growing in power, but he’s also going to have a grudge against the Tarnished once he realizes what’s happened.

It’s since been confirmed that Miquella will be an important part of Shadow of the Erdtree but he may not be the final boss or main antagonist. Instead, a new demigod character known as Messmer the Eternal was introduced in the trailer. Messmer is confirmed to be one of Marika’s children, more than likely by Radagon due to his red hair. This also makes him Miquella’s brother.

Miyazaki has confirmed that there’s a reason why Messmer has not been seen so far, and why he was not represented in Marika’s court in the base game. Whether or not Miquella and Messmer are in cahoots, or at odds with one another also remains to be seen. Messmer’s design looks a lot like the creature inside Miquella’s egg in Mohg’s palace but it’s unknown so far if they are the same.

As for Miquella, he’s been confirmed to have escaped Mohg’s clutches by shedding his flesh, therefore we may be dealing with the demigod in spirit form when the DLC eventually drops. The expansion is also confirmed to be a major side story that will add a new wrinkle to the story of Elden Ring, rather than contradicting any endings players may already have unlocked.

The story trailer implies that one of Marika’s affairs may have led to Messmer’s conception and that he fought a secret war before being erased from history. Messmer also possesses a forbidden flame, possibly connected to the Fire Giants or the Frenzied Flame.

This explains why there’s no mention of Messmer in Elden Ring’s base game. Miquella is also absent from the main game, possibly to him being involved in Messmer’s war, changing everything we thought we knew about the demigod and his abduction by Mohg.

Gameplay details

The expansion will begin after players kill Mohg and it’s believed that entry to the DLC will have something to do with Miquella’s egg. From here, players will be able to enter the Land of Shadow, an area within the Lands Between but had previously been “obscured by the Erdtree”. Whether this is metaphorical or literal remains to be seen. The Land of Shadow is said to be the largest DLC area in a Souls game yet, with it being compared to the Limgrave region in terms of size.

The DLC will also introduce ten new bosses, some of whom can be seen in the trailer (including Mesmer). One looks like a giant wicker man and may have a connection to the Fire Giant boss. There’s also some speculation that the murdered Godwyn the Golden could be included as a boss. After all, Miquella was trying to either save or help his brother gain a “true death” before the events of the base game.

The new land will also feature a host of new NPCs each likely with their own side quests and motivations. Trust nobody, but also, stay your hand when meeting someone new, questlines lead to rewards in FromSoft games. There will also be some new armor sets, weapons, and spells to try out. The throwing knives look especially interesting and we look forward to seeing what new builds and playstyles can be made from the new gear and abilities.

Finally, as FromSoftware knows many players will enter the DLC at a high level, indeed, you have to be to kill Mohg, so the expansion will add a new leveling system. While this won’t replace the existing system, it will mean that players won’t be able to just charge through the DLC with their powerful builds. Instead, players will need to engage with the new system and use it in conjunction with their builds if they’re to survive the Land of Shadow.

Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Pre-order bonus

Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in Elden Ring is solely digital, even in physical editions. Pre-ordering any version grants access to an exclusive in-game Gesture called the Ring of Miquella. Notably, physical retail versions of Shadow of the Erdtree Edition are limited to PS5 and Xbox Series X/S.

The DLC comes in various editions, including the Standard Edition, which contains the base game and DLC code. Meanwhile, the Deluxe and Premium Editions enhance the experience with digital artbooks and original soundtracks. Finally, the Collector’s Edition is the most expensive and boasts unique collectibles like a 46 cm Statue of Messmer the Impaler and a 40-page hardcover artbook.

Will there be any more Elden Ring DLC?

FromSoftware has confirmed that Shadow of the Erdtree will be the only Elden Ring DLC, making it similar to Bloodborne’s Old Hunter’s expansion.

However, the developers are open to a sequel, and the game’s massive success will mean and Elden Ring 2 is something we’re likely to see one day. It hasn’t been confirmed as of yet though.

So that’s everything we know so far about the Elden Ring DLC. Be sure to check our Elden Ring page and brush up on your knowledge thanks to all the latest guides below:

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