A new Hidetaka Miyazaki interview revealed some of the upcoming content in the much awaited Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree. This includes new weapons, spells as well as mechanics that are not present in the main game.
Gaming studio FromSoftware is infamous for their difficult game designs. This is best seen in Soulsborne games including Sekiro. However, that will drastically change with Shadow of the Erdtree.
In a recent interview with the Chinese publication Campfire Camp, Hidetaka Miyazaki revealed that there will be a way to essentially make the game easier. However, he clarified that it’s not going to be an outright “easy mode,” something that casual players had been pining for since a long time. He said that the regulation of difficulty will vary via a new mechanic in the leveling system of the player.
“Generally speaking, since it is the second half, the difficulty is relatively high. We also introduced a new leveling element in the DLC, allowing you to freely choose the challenge intensity.”
What this essentially means is, explained Miyazaki, that users can turn off their stat growths if they feel they’re ready for the challenges that the DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, brings.
FromSoft boss also stated that unlike Dark Souls 3 which received two DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree will be the only DLC Elden Ring is going to get.
“[Shadow of the Erdtree] is the first and last DLC, and we have no plans to add more content to Elden Ring.”
While FromSoftware games have never outright had “modes” for difficulty, it’s important to note that there have been ways of regulating difficulty. For instance, Elden Ring allows users to clone themselves for an easier fight against bosses. Furthermore, users can also summon NPCs and other online players in certain cases.
Shadow of the Erdtree To Introduce New Weapons, Bosses, And More
During the interview, Miyazaki also revealed that there will be new weapons, locations, characters and more in the DLC. He added there will be several difficult yet optional bosses, further hinting that the game encourages players of all skill level.
Miyazaki also commented that Shadow of The Erdtree will feature St. Trina and expand on the lore of Starscourge Radhan. Along with that the DLC will answer other unsolved lore questions in the base game.
The Shadow of the Erdtree promises to be a massive addition to the world of Elden Ring. It’s said to take place in the Land of Shadows, which is a realm hidden under the Erdtree’s shadow. Players will be able to gain access to the expansion from Mohg, Lord of Blood boss arena, after defeating the boss of course.
Elsewhere in the interview, the Elden Ring creator hinted that there is potential for the game’s sequel. This is not a surprising detail, given how the FromSoft title has managed to sell 23 million copies as of February 2024 in its two-year run. Shadow of the Erdtree releases on June 21st, 2024.
Make sure you collect all missable items in Elden Ring base game to prepare for the upcoming DLC.
