Image: FromSoftware
Elden Ring's first expansion arrives this year, bringing players to a new location called the Land of Shadow.
FromSoftware's hit action-RPG Elden Ring has officially unveiled its first major expansion Shadow of the Erdtree. After a lengthy period of radio silence, the developer finally dropped a reveal trailer for the expansion confirming a June launch with plenty of new content for players to look forward to, including new bosses to fight, environments to explore and a story campaign to beat.
Watch the first trailer below:
Elden Ring unveils first look at Shadow of the Erdtree expansion
Elden Ring's first expansion was announced a year after its release in 2023, but fans have heard next to nothing about its development since. FromSoftware has never attempted an open-world Souls game before, so the possibilities for DLC content seemed limitless. Would we get more story content for the game? More locations to explore? New bosses to fight?
As it turns out, the answer is yes! Yes to all of the above. The reveal trailer gives us a first look at the rather grim setting of Shadow of the Erdtree, which consists of a whole new open area to explore filled with dangerous creatures and mighty enemies to slay. If the base campaign had you flinging your controller at the screen out of frustration, this trailer might convince you to just set it down for good.
We got a fresh look at new player abilities and hostile enemies in this trailer, after an ominous opener featuring Miquella’s bloody arm in an arena where players would have fought Mohg in the main story. An enigmatic villain named Mesmer is introduced, and we get a sneak peek at a few upcoming locations featured in the expansion - ranging from grassy hills to castles and temples. According to FromSoftware, this is the Land of Shadow, a new location beyond the Lands Between filled with new dungeons and roaming enemies.
Here’s how the developer describes its new story content:
Guided by Empyrean Miquella, players are beckoned to the Land of Shadow, a place obscured by the Erdtree where the goddess Marika first set foot. In these strange new lands, players discover the dark secrets of the world as they meet others who follow in Miquella’s footsteps with ulterior motives.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree launches on June 21, 2024.