Elden Ring “Shadow of the Erdtree” DLC Confirmed by Fromsoft
| Tags: Elden Ring, General
| Author Paul Goño
Shadow of The Erdtree's first look confirms a piece of Elden Ring lore.
Better late than never! It has officially been more than a year since Elden Ring was released, and with the anniversary has come and gone, the hype surrounding a possible DLC expansion grew thin as the end of February drew near. As it turns out, Bandai Namco and Fromsoft only held off and broke the news when we least expected it (like one of Margit's insufferable staff strikes).
When fans of the franchise were just about to lose hope, the game's creators took to social media to confirm everyone's suspicions. Elden Ring's much-awaited expansion, aptly named “Shadow of the Erdtree” is officially in development.
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
If you're part of the tens of millions of fans who are already on their tenth NG+, you can understand the excitement the fanbase is feeling right now. So far, Fromsoft's announcement has been trending on social media for hours. And while the news does seem a few months late, Elden Ring as a whole hasn't disappointed its fans yet. no release date has been announced, but you can't rush art!
And speaking of art, we can already expect to see a significant power player appearing in Elden Ring's expansion. There's a big chance that we'll be able to finally meet Miquella, the wisest of Marika the eternal's demigod children in Shadow of the Erdtree. If the first look is anything to work off of, it even looks like he was Torrent's previous master! Whether we'll be meeting the “most fearsome demigod” as friend or foe, however, is anyone's guess.
If he seems unfamiliar, you may recognize his name from Malenia's signature catchphrase.
Elden Ring was regarded as a masterpiece by many for its genre-defining gameplay, its fantasy world-building and its in-game accessibility options, which helped it break worldwide sales records. Last year, the title came out on top on our list and was awarded 2022's Game of the Year, beating other massive titles such as God of War: Ragnarok. Fromsoft recently celebrated their magnum opus' 20 million player milestone, and solidified the game's status as one of the fastest-selling games worldwide.
Meeting an Empyrean?
There wasn't a lot confirmed in the official announcement, which left fans guessing as to who was riding Torrent on its official artwork. Looking at their hair and choice of clothes, all signs pointed toward a demigod we hadn't met yet.
Throughout Elden ring's playthrough, we only caught glimpses of the elusive demigod Miquella. Appearing in statues and petrified tree roots, he is repeatedly referred to by the likes of powerful demigods like Malenia and Mohg, which gives his name importance. Navigating through the story's labyrinth, we find out that Miquella broke away from the Golden Order and its dogmatic ways in search of his sister's cure.
Seeking a new path to enlightenment, it is believed that Miquella, with the help of his sister, started their own order within the Haligtree, which he watered with his own blood. There, he entered a cocoon to break free of his childhood curse before being stolen away by Mohg, the Lord of Blood.
After you defeat the boss, Sir Gideon Ofnir helps us surmise that Miquella is still lying in slumber within his broken cocoon. With all that in mind, and given Fromsoft's dedication to their craft, it'll be a long time before we get any confirmation.
Speculations
Virtually absent in the base game, it seems like the fans of Elden Ring's fractured story may finally learn more about the events surrounding Miquella's mysterious disappearance.
There is also the possibility that we will be playing as the demigod himself in a prequel setting, although the chances are slim, seeing as all previous Soulsbourne DLCs were experienced with player characters in the driver's seat. Anything can change over the course of Shadow of the Erdtree's development, however, so take these speculations with a pinch of salt.
The source of Miquella's curse of eternal childhood is still a point of contention, with many believing that it was punishment for Marika ordering the extinction of the giants that rebelled against her. Regardless, other outside forces that might have been in play. Who's to say that there aren't more outer gods out there?
The use of the word “shadow” is also interesting, since each Empyrean is accompanied by their own “Shadow” in Elden Ring's power structure. This shadow serves as their Empyrean's fierce protector, or someone who carries a great purpose. This makes sense since Empyreans were special demigods who were powerful enough to ascend to the throne. Marika had her half-brother, and Ranni had Blaidd. At the same time, many believe that his twin served as Miquella's shadow. Further, there could be another literal protector to the Erdtree. One that we've never seen before.
Looking at the setting within the artwork also shows tall plants similar to wheat or reeds covering the landscape. This may be showing the Land of Reeds, as previously referenced in the Samurai's armor set description.
Whatever may be the case, we can be sure that Fromsoft's great track record with Soulsbourne DLCs will enable them to build upon an already highly-acclaimed game experience.
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