Two years after Elden Ring was launched, we lastly received our first take a look at the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. From cryptic teases to ghastly enemies, it had all of it, and it seems like there’ll nonetheless be some challenges in retailer for these in search of extra of them.

Via interviews at IGN and Eurogamer with director Hidetaka Miyazaki and different locations, together with the trailer itself, we’ve received a clearer image of what’s ready for us on this new journey.

01. There might be hardcore challenges

For these of you on the lookout for a problem, Miyazaki has excellent news, as he states to IGN: “To our extra hardcore gamers, they may discover non-compulsory bosses who’ve been tuned in an identical option to the likes of Malenia, who I’m positive you keep in mind from the bottom recreation, who aren’t essential.”

Realizing Miyazaki as we all know him by now, I’m betting he’s being overtly humble by speaking about bosses who’re kind of as exhausting as Malenia. DLC bosses in Souls video games are typically a lot more durable than in the principle video games, so we’re about to fulfill one thing devious. Are you able to think about Manus from the unique Darkish Souls DLC with Malenia’s twin Katana? Or the Fume Knight together with her pace? I can.

02. We’re monitoring down Miquella

In the identical interview with IGN, Miyazaki states that the DLC will figuratively and actually comply with the footsteps of Miquella, confirming the arrange made by the bottom recreation after we defeated Mohg. That’s cool, nevertheless it additionally spells a bunch of hassle, as Miquella is the brother of Malenia, famously probably the most difficult boss within the historical past of Souls video games.

This does, nonetheless, appear to ivolve that Miquella himself won’t put up as a lot of a problem as Malenia, as he’ll doubtless be a compulsory boss. Although I might very nicely be mistaken about this — the problem half — I imply.

03. We’ll get to know extra about Marika

Although Miyazaki doesn’t discuss it within the interview, the trailer for the DLC closes out with the silhouette of a shining determine. Who might that be aside from Marika, the elusive goddess of this world? Might it actually be her? Might it’s that the DLC has a deity ready for us because the true ultimate enemy? Might she be one in every of these non-compulsory boss battles that can present the final word problem?

There’s no phrase on that but, although that may make for fairly the ending — and there are some indications that that could be the case.

04. We’re not within the Lands Between anymore

Shadow Of The Erdtree takes place in a very new space that’s not the Lands Between, an space Miquella ventured into in an try to search out Marika.

Miyazaki additionally talks to IGN about how this new space “technically occupies the identical area because the Lands Between, the identical universe”, so we could be a situation much like Bloodborne’s The Outdated Hunters DLC, wherein we enter a mixture between an altered-reality model of the world from the primary recreation and a few superior new areas. I like that concept, although that can inevitably come accompanied by even more durable enemies.

In both case, it looks as if there might be no want to fret a few lack of stuff to do, as Miyazaki confirms the return of each huge open areas to discover, massive dungeons, and smaller ones. For these curious, Miyazaki says that the entire space of the DLC might be corresponding to — if not bigger than — the world of Limgrave.

05. George R. R. Martin remains to be round

Sadly, Miyazaki advised IGN he’d by no means even as soon as had the possibility to fulfill up with the Recreation Of Thrones author who helped form the world of Elden Ring to have fun. Nonetheless, he confirms that they already had all of the work they wanted of him to make Shadow Of The Erdtree, so the DLC might be as influenced by Martin’s work as the unique recreation.

06. Elden Ring won’t be executed but

Regardless that this DLC appears to transmit a sense of finality, Miyazaki advised IGN that this isn’t essentially the top of the Elden Ring saga: “We don’t wish to discourage the chances for that. There could be extra concepts sooner or later.”

07. The worth is steep

At $40, the DLC has already garnered some criticism from followers. For reference, the Outdated Hunters DLC was initially deliberate as two completely different DLCs, then merged into one, and it was nonetheless launched at a cheaper price level. I totally belief FromSoft will ship a banger, however I’m afraid to see the impression that this might need on different firms presently questioning which worth tags they may persist with their upcoming DLCs.

08. There’s a therapeutic swamp you this time round

Simply kidding — Miyazaki has solely confirmed the presence of yet one more toxic swamp. His clarification is that he actually likes to create them.

“It was solely after creating it that I realised I actually wish to create poisoned swamps,” Miyazaki advised Eurogamer. “And this was a little bit place of introspection and reflection for me. So perhaps, when gamers attain the poisoned swamp within the DLC, they may really feel a little bit little bit of this retrospection.” Woohoo!

Elden Ring Shadow Of The Erdtree drops on June 21, for the Xbox One, Xbox Sequence X|S, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, and PC.