The Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree trailer was jam-packed. There’s so much lore to parse over, features to theorize about, and brief glimpses of weapons and mechanics to gawk at while we wait for the June 21 launch date. So I’ve decided to do a deep dive and pull out some of the details you might have missed, and attempt to explain what they could mean for the Elden Ring DLC when it drops later this year.
With the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree release date now fast approaching, the colossal open-world game expansion is finally within our grasp.
With that, I’ve taken it upon myself to scour the trailer embedded above, official info, and fan theories to see what sticks. Will any of this prove to be 100% right by the time the Elden Ring DLC comes out? We’d wager we’re on the money, but time will tell.
Where does Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree take place?
Despite not being made clear in the trailer, Elden Ring’s DLC takes place in a separate map called The Land of Shadow. Obscured by the Erdtree (the giant glowing tree in the center of Elden Ring’s map), this is where Miquella, a central background character of Elden Ring we don’t really see in the base game, has gone too. So after speculation around Miqeulla was rampant when the DLC was announced, we now know that they will play a central role in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Kick-based martial arts attacks
Amid the trailer, we see a cloaked figure doing what I can only describe as a series of flying spin kicks that feel incredibly reminiscent of Sekiro’s Senpou Leaping Kick and its High Monk upgrade. We could be looking at a brand new weapon or ash of war here, but it’s already a moveset we haven’t seen in the base game of Elden Ring.
The final boss
Throughout the trailer, we see a red-haired figure wearing armor and slithering red snakes. We know from them having a Collector’s Edition Statue and a replica helmet available to buy that this is Messmer The Impaler. My guess is that they’re already being shown off as important because they’re the final boss of the DLC (or close to it), with the red hair suggesting they’re some unknown relation of the children of Radagon.
Yet another poison swamp
You read that right Dark Souls fans, we get a brief glimpse of a swamp in the Shadow of the Erdtree trailer, and an official DLC screenshot backs this up. There’s no proper indication that this is a poison swamp just yet, but if game director Hidetaka Miyazaki loves anything, it’s for his swamps to slowly kill you and make life hell. With that, I think we’re safe in assuming that this swamp will introduce some sort of slow build-up status ailment.
The last Great Rune
During the main game of Elden Ring Sir Gideon Ofnir mentions that Miquella of the Haligtree is one of the demigods yet to be located. So with Miquella a focus of the DLC’s lore and narrative, and the above picture from the trailer, we may very well get another shard of the titular Elden Ring. Perhaps getting this in the DLC will open up a new ending, as you reforge the Elden Ring anew with the extra shard.
While you wait for the DLC we’ve got all you need to know about the best Elden Ring builds alongside some great Elden Ring classes to start your journey.
You can also follow us on Google News for daily PC games news, reviews, and guides, or grab our PCGN deals tracker to net yourself some bargains.
