Elden Ring’s first DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is in development

By Tomas Franzese February 28, 2023

Yes, Elden Ring is finally getting DLC. After over a year of speculation since the critically acclaimed game’s launch, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is confirmed to be in development.

FromSoftware broke the news via its social media accounts for the game, simply affirming that Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree “is currently in development.” No additional release window or story details were shared, but its Japanese website confirms the expansion will come to all of the same platforms as the base game, and the tweet does include one piece of concept art. In it, we see a darkened Erdtree in the distance as a mysterious girl on a horse rides toward it and some ruins. We don’t know what any of this means just yet, but the key art appears to tease a darker tone and new character and reaffirm that Shadow of the Erdtree will take place in a massive open world.

Rise, Tarnished, and let us walk a new path together.
An upcoming expansion for #ELDENRING Shadow of the Erdtree, is currently in development.
We hope you look forward to new adventures in the Lands Between. pic.twitter.com/cjJYijM7Mw
— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) February 28, 2023

Elden Ring was released on February 25, 2022, and it was met with critical acclaim and lots of Game of the Year awards (including Digital Trends’ own) because of how FromSoftware adapted its classics Souls series formula into a game with a massive open world that rivaled The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. As many previous FromSoftware games got DLC, fans were hoping that Elden Ring would get the same treatment.

Before now, we’ve mostly gotten small patches, with a Colosseum-adding update in December being the most notable. Although Shadow of the Erdtree doesn’t have a release date, it’s a relief for Elden Ring fans to now have some brand-new content to look forward to.

Elden Ring is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. Shadow of the Erdtree does not have a release window yet.

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Gaming Staff Writer

Tomas Franzese is a Staff Writer at Digital Trends, where he reports on and reviews the latest releases and exciting…

Computing

Elden Ring PC performance: best settings, fps cap, and stuttering fixes

Elden Ring running on the Asus ROG PG42UQ.

Elden Ring just received a massive update. The new Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is like an entirely new game, so I dove back into the Lands Between to see where Elden Ring is at on PC. The game has seen numerous updates since launch that improve stuttering, add ray tracing, and more.

Still, you'll need the best settings for Elden Ring if you want to get the most out of the game. I've spent hundreds of hours in the game at this point, and in that time, I've learned not only how to optimize performance on PC but also how to remove the frame rate cap, fix stuttering, and add features like upscaling and frame generation to the game.
The best settings for Elden Ring

Gaming

Elden Ring’s pre-Shadow of the Erdtree patch makes its final boss much easier

An Elden Ring player sits on their horse and looks out at a castle ahead.

Publisher Bandai Namco has released the patch notes for the big pre-Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree update, and while a lot of the changes were expected, it features some small but exciting additions.

The most noteworthy change in version 1.12, buried in the "New inventory features" section, is the new ability to summon your steed Torrent in the final boss battle. Without spoiling anything, not only does the final battle come right after another equally difficult boss, but you'll need to do a lot of sprinting to avoid its attacks. Being able to use your trusty steed will make this a lot easier. And, quite frankly, you'll need all the help you can get when it comes to most boss battles.

Gaming

How long is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

A furnace golem looms in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree.

Elden Ring's first and only expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, brings a heap of new content to From Software's highly acclaimed open-world RPG. Not only is there an entirely new map to find and uncover, but players also receive a fresh story, tons of additional weapons and spells to use, and a variety of all-new bosses to take down along the way as they make their way to the end of the journey. It's quite a lot to explore, so it's understandable if you're curious about how long it'll take to see all of this new content. Your mileage will vary, naturally, but we've got estimates below regarding how long it'll take to beat Shadow of the Erdtree.
How long is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?
It goes without saying that, due to the inherent difficulty of Elden Ring, your skill level within the game will play a significant role in the amount of hours you'll spend completing Shadow of the Erdtree. The average player just seeking to see the main story of this new expansion can expect to spend between 20 to 30 hours reaching its conclusion.

Those looking to take in everything Shadow of the Erdtree has to offer, however, will spend a lot more time with the DLC as they navigate the new map, checking every nook and cranny for new gear, spells, and well-hidden secrets. If that sounds up your alley, you can count on up to 50 hours of exploration and combat in the Land of Shadow.