Over the years, Japanese developer FromSoftware has evolved into one of the most consistently excellent studios around. 2022's Game of the Year, Elden Ring, was seen by many as the culmination of the developer's progress up to this point, as Hidetaka Miyazaki and his team managed to almost perfect a formula they had initially created in 2009 with the inception of the Souls series. Still captivating millions of players worldwide, Elden Ring is not done yet, and its first expansion, titled Shadow of the Erdtree, is expected to release in the near future. Judging by some of FromSoftware's previous expansion projects, this DLC should be packed to the brim with new and challenging things to do.
FromSoftware typically ensures its titles are not short on content. Completion of the main campaign in any Souls title is likely to clock in around the 30-hour mark, and that isn't counting any side objectives or optional bosses, of which there are usually many. Perhaps unsurprisingly then, the accompanying DLC offerings, while nowhere near the size of their respective base games, usually also offer a plethora of content, ranging from new weapons, areas, and boss fights. Players should expect the same from Shadow of the Erdtree, and given that Elden Ring's scope is far bigger than any of the Souls games, it's reasonable to anticipate that the DLC will be the biggest expansion FromSoftware has released up to this point.
Elden Ring's DLC Will Be Challenging
Shadow of the Erdtree has reportedly been in development for over a year now, so a release date is likely to be revealed sooner rather than later. Typically, for FromSoftware there is a gap of mere months between the base game and the DLC release, and Elden Ring is already behind schedule in this regard. This should bode well for the overall size of the expansion, though, and fans would likely be happy to wait longer if it meant the end product was of the same quality as Elden Ring itself.
While the overall length of FromSoftware's previous expansions is dwarfed by the games themselves, the same can not be said for the level of challenge. The DLC for these games, which are already known for their high degree of difficulty, tends to get even tougher. Some of FromSoftware's best boss encounters can be found within DLC such as Dark Souls' Artorias of the Abyss, or Bloodborne's The Old Hunters. Miyazaki and his team tend to save some of their finest work for these expansions, so fans of Elden Ring can expect a great challenge.
In terms of the overarching narrative, Shadow of the Erdtree remains shrouded in mystery, with only a single picture accompanying the developer's Twitter announcement of the upcoming DLC. This picture appears to show what many believe to be Miquella, the twin brother of Malenia and son of Queen Marika, riding the steed Torrent towards the huge Erdtree in the distance. If this is the case, it would appear that Miquella is set to play a big role in the DLC, and considering he was mentioned but never seen in the base game, this would make perfect sense.
In keeping with FromSoftware tradition, Elden Ring's DLC story will probably be cryptically told through item descriptions, vague cutscenes, and NPC interactions. Much will be left open for fans to interpret however they wish, and the already-vast amount of lore will be expanded and built upon as players continue to explore the expansion. FromSoftware reportedly has at least one more project in active development, but if it proves to be as strong as the developer's previous DLC, then Shadow of the Erdtree should do more than enough to scratch the itch of those yearning for the next Souls game.
Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S.