In a few weeks players will finally be able to take on the role of Senzaluce thanks to Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreethe souls-like expansion signed by FromSoftware, which will take us into the Shadow Lands to follow in Marika’s footsteps and shed light on long-hidden secrets, while facing new enemies and bosses using new weapons, armor, skills and magic.
Ahead of the launch of this major and highly anticipated expansion, We have summarized the most important details on Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, from the release date and the numerous editions and bundles available at launch, to the most interesting information shared so far by FromSoftware.
Release date and price
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will be available from June 21, 2024 starting from 39.99 euros, both in digital format and included in a new physical edition of the game which will be published on the same day. It will be available on the same platforms as the original title, therefore PS5, PS4, Xbox Series Although obvious, it is worth pointing out that this is an expansion and therefore you need to own the base game to play it.
Digital editions, bundles and pre-order bonuses
Starting from digital editionsElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree will be available in the following formats:
- Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree (standard) for 39.99 euros. Does not include any extras.
- Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Premium Bundle for 49.99 euros. In addition to the DLC, it includes the artbook and the soundtrack in digital format of the expansion.
If you haven’t played Elden Ring yet or if for any reason you no longer have a copy, you’ll be happy to know that the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion will also be sold in two different bundle with the base game. On the contrary, if you already own the original adventure, be careful not to pay more for an edition that perhaps includes content that you have already purchased previously.
- Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Edition at 79.99 euros, includes the base game and the DLC, without further extras.
- Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Deluxe Edition at the price of 99.99 euros. It also includes digital artbooks and soundtracks from both the base game and the expansion.
Regardless of the edition you choose, by pre-purchasing the expansion you will receive as bonus “Miquella’s Ring” gesture (the character mimics the shape of a ring with his arms).
If you are interested in purchasing, we refer you to the page dedicated to Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree of the PlayStation Store for the PS5 and PS4 versions, of the Xbox Store for Xbox Series X|S and One and of Steam for the PC version.
Physical edition, Collector’s Edition and pre-order bonus
As mentioned above, Shadow of the Erdtree will also be available in “physical” format for PS5 and Xbox Series
It should be noted that only the original adventure is included on the disc, while the expansion must be downloaded separately, redeeming it on code included in the package via PlayStation Store or Xbox Store.
And finally we come to the rich one Collector’s Edition of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, sold at the price of 249.99 euros and available in very limited quantities and clearly designed for the most die-hard fans. Inside the package we find a code to redeem the digital version of the expansion for PS5 (compatible with PS4), Xbox Series the statuette of Mesmer the Impaler stands out, measuring 46 cm high. Here’s exactly what it includes:
- Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree expansion (base game not included)
- Mesmer the Impaler 46cm figurine, made of PVC/ABS by Pure Arts
- 40-page hardcover artbook (in English), with never-before-seen images and sketches
- Digital soundtrack, redeemable via a code included in the package
- Book-shaped collector’s box
You can purchase the Collector’s Edition of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree via Amazon.it, GameStop.it and the Bandai Namco Store. As previously mentioned, quantities are very limited and in fact at the time of writing this precious edition is sold out everywhere except in the official Bandai Namco store.
Also in this case, by pre-ordering the physical edition or the Collector’s Edition you will receive the “Miquella’s Ring” gesture as a bonus.
Plot
As per tradition, game director Hidetaka Miyazaki and the developers didn’t say much about the new content, just enough to make players’ mouths water and at the same time maintain that intriguing aura of mystery typical of FromSoftware games . What is certain is that Shadow of the Erdtree will tell, in an increasingly more and (above all) less direct way, very important events, characters and elements of the Elden Ring narrative, shedding light on mysteries and secrets that the community is investigating I’ve been racking my brains for two years now.
From the details shared so far we know that the story of the expansion will revolve around Miquella the Empyrean, Malenia’s twin and Marika’s son, as well as a figure of great importance in the Elden Ring lore, but about whom so far fragmented information has arrived, consequently giving rise to the most disparate theories. Precisely this mysterious character, “waiting for the Lord who was promised to him”, will guide us in a new area called Lands of Shadows, described by the development team as “a place obscured by the Mother Tree where the divine Marika first arrived “, an unexplored land that hides the darkest secrets of the Interregnum, where characters driven by personal reasons await us traveling towards our destination and clearly enemies and new challenges to face.
Let’s say that these are the clearest details of the incipit of Shadow of the Erdtree, but the official trailers, the images and some interviews by Miyazaki hide more or less veiled clues and details that will delight fans of the cryptic and indirect narration of Elden Ring. Trying to summarize everything in a few lines would be a disservice to you, so we suggest you read our insights with the analysis of the first official footage of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree and the story trailer published a few days ago.
New enemies, bosses, weapons and challenge level
In addition to introducing a new area, Shadow of the Erdtree will expand the arsenal available to players. In this sense, even those who have invested hundreds of hours in Elden Ring will find new stimuli thanks to 8 new types of weaponsto which are also added new sets of armour, skills and magic, which will certainly come in handy when tackling the over 10 bosses added with the DLC.
In this regard, Miyazaki explained that the challenge level of Shadow of the Erdtree will be in line with that of the advanced stages of Elden Ring (after all, to access the expansion, players will first have to eliminate Mohg) and it is also plausible to expect some optional challenges at the levels of the terrible Malenia. Are you already trembling at the thought? Don’t worry, according to the game director, a new “progression element” has been implemented in the expansion, the precise details of which have not yet been revealed, which players will be able to use to their advantage to soften the general challenge level.
How big is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?
As previously mentioned, Shadow of the Erdtree is set in the Shadowlands, a large new area. How much? To offer a yardstick, Hidetaka Miyazaki explained what the new map will be larger than Sepolcride and will offer vast areas to explore on foot and riding Torrente, legacy dungeons (large dungeons such as Stormrage Castle) and others of variable size. And yes, there will be new poisonous swamps, which has now become a pet peeve for the game director.
FromSoftware hasn’t said anything about the length of Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, but Miyazaki has stated that it is the studio’s largest expansion ever in terms of volume. Combining this detail with the size of the map, when seen in the expansions of previous games in the series and, why not, also the price of the DLC, it is plausible to expect a duration of around 30 hours, perhaps even more.
How to access the expansion
To start the adventure of Shadow of the Erdtree it is not necessary to complete Elden Ring or start a New Game Plus, but in any case you need to reach an advanced point in the base game. It has been practically confirmed that the entry point to the Land of Shadows is represented by Miquella’s cocoon, with which we will only be able to interact after defeating Mohg, Lord of Bloodin Mohqwyn’s Palace located in Nekron, reachable via the teleporter located west of the Snowfields of the Sacred Tree Lands or by completing the Varré side quest.
This is a boss that is anything but simple and requires a certain level of preparation. See it as a sort of test: if you don’t pass it, it means that your character is not yet ready to face the new expansion, given that the level of challenge of the new content will be more or less in line with that offered by this clash. In this regard, we suggest you read our special on what to do to prepare for the arrival of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
