Cassie Gardner 
Hidden files DLC files have been added to Elden Ring on Steam, suggesting that the Shadow of the Erdtree release date could be coming soon.
Fans have been teased by the existence of the Elden Ring DLC entitled Shadow of the Erdtree since February 2023 and the minimal information since then. Outside a short comment in December from a FromSoftware producer that development was “going smoothly,” there has been no further timeline given.
Despite this, there has been growing evidence that the Elden Ring DLC could be arriving soon thanks to leaks, data mines, and hints from merch manufacturers. Though there’s been no official comment from Elden Ring developer FromSoftware or parent company Kadokawa Corporation, there’s been plenty of outward signs about its development. An unreported Elden Ring update on Steam included the addition of new DLC files, which may indicate the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC could be coming soon.
When is the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC release date?
There is no official release date for the Elden Ring DLC Shadow of the Erdtree, but the latest update to Elden Ring’s DLC content on Steam may indicate a release coming soon.
Details on the hidden files were discovered via data mines, with “unknown app 2778580” being added as a DLC file. This was the first file added to this section in 15 months, which was the only addition beyond the pre-order bonuses and extra deluxe edition content.
FromSoftware hasn’t officially announced the release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, but the updates made to the Steam version may indicate that the DLC is coming soon. Hidden files related to debugging and quality assurance were altered on the Steam version of Elden Ring in December, which indicated that the studio was working on something significant but it wasn’t entirely clear if this was related to the DLC. With Shadow of the Erdtree revealed in February 2023, there is a high chance this could be the first steps to adding the new content into the game.
This wasn’t the first time that stealthy updates that hint at DLC have been discovered. In December there was an update to the QA and debug menu files for the Steam version, suggesting that FromSoftware was working on something significant.
February 25, 2024 will mark the second anniversary of Elden Ring’s release on PlayStation 4 and 5, Windows, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The addition of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC would give fans the first paid additional content since the game’s release and the first major injection of Elden Ring content since the Colosseum Update. There has been no information on what could be expected from the new DLC from FromSoft, but the company has a strong track record when it comes to delivering on DLC.
