Elden Ring fans recently got their first look at gameplay from the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. In addition to the official gameplay trailer, Director Hidetaka Miyazaki talked about the expansion at length in a recent interview.
Director Hidetaka Miyazaki talks about Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
IGN reporter Mitchell Saltxman recently spoke to Miyazaki about Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. Among the first questions is where the DLC takes place, and it might not be where everyone expects.
Rather than opening up a new part of The Lands Between, Shadow of the Erdtree’s map is physically separate from the rest of the world. Players will warp to the “Land of Shadow” from Miquella’s cocoon in Mohg’s Palace.
As Elden Ring fans have suspected since the first teaser image, the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC focuses heavily on the demigod Miquella. Players will retrace his footsteps through the mysterious realm, unraveling the mystery of Miquella’s plans. They will also discover what Queen Marika did that drew him there in the first place. However, the player isn’t the only one following Miquella’s trail. Some of these new characters will be potential allies, while others may become enemies.
Speaking of enemies, Miyazaki shared a little about a few of the new bosses seen in the trailer. For example, the “giant basket of flame” is an ancient weapon used in a war that wracked the Land of Shadows long ago. The “kindling” burning inside is actually the bodies of vanquished enemies. Meanwhile, the towering, red-robed figure in the trailer will be a significant character in Shadow of the Erdtree. However, he couldn’t say more for fear of spoilers.
As for the Land of Shadows itself, Miyazaki says it is laid out similarly to the base game. Players will explore wide open zones studded with dungeons of various sizes. He also revealed that the new map will be slightly larger than Elden Ring’s Limgrave area.