Mohamed Hassan 
FromSoftware has been radio silent since announcing the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC but one of its developers gave a rare interview that offers a bit of insight regarding its release date and lore.
Elden Ring is directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, director of the Dark Souls series of games, and features a narrative skeleton created by George R. R. Martin, author of the A Song of Ice and Fire series. Like most FromSoftware games, the game boasts a vast world full of mysteries and cryptic questions. Even though the game takes a long while to beat, many were left wanting more after becoming Elden Lord.
Elden Ring also follows in the footsteps of its predecessors by leaving open threads in its story and world for future content such as DLCs or sequels. On February 28 this year, it was announced that Elden Ring will get an expansion named Shadow of the Erdtree. This has left fans speculating on what’s in the Elden Ring DLC, and producer Yasuhiro Kitao shared a small hint as to what fans can expect and when the release date might come.
When will Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree be released?
According to producer Yasuhiro Kitao, the release date is still some time away, but fans can look forward to the variety of content the expansion will offer when it arrives.
Kitao attended the 2023 PlayStation Partner Awards, an annual event that honors the developers of the best-selling titles on PlayStation. He was asked about the state of the DLC and gave a vague but interesting answer.
“Regarding the DLC, I’ll talk about it on another occasion. It’s still a bit ahead, but progress is going smoothly. Like Bloodborne, the DLC will take the form of new battles and new characters. Please look forward to something new,” Kitao said at the event, per Game Watch.
In FromSoftware’s parent company Kadokawa’s fiscal year 2024 report, it was mentioned that the studio intends to increase the longevity of the IP with a “media mix.” Despite high expectations for the revenue it will generate, there has been no indication on when it might come out beyond the acknowledgment that development is “going smoothly.”
Elden Ring producer compares DLC to Bloodborne
The direct comparison of the Elden Ring DLC to Bloodborne is interesting. The Bloodborne DLC: The Old Hunters added five new bosses and three new locations to the game’s world and typically took players eight to 10 hours to complete.
Bloodborne: The Old Hunters is widely regarded as one of FromSoftware’s best DLC offerings. Elden Ring’s DLC could have even more to explore and could last even longer, given the game’s level design and the sheer length of time Shadow of the Erdtree has been in the works. The Old Hunters came out just eight months after the release of Bloodborne. Meanwhile, Shadow of the Erdtree will likely come out more than two years after the release of Elden Ring.
The director also discussed the popularity of Elden Ring and chalked it up to the game’s “strategic freedom”.
“I believe it’s the high degree of freedom in strategy. Users can have different experiences and playstyles, which keeps them engaged for a long time. I think this diversity gives rise to various discussions and topics,” Kitao said.
The Bloodborne DLC didn’t just add locations and bosses, it also added a lot of weapons, armor, firearms, and several new characters. This sets the bar for the upcoming DLC even higher than the one already set by the base game. It also hints that there will be even more ways for players to fight and experience the world of Elden Ring.
