The Elden Ring’s open-world Lands Between forced players on a sprawling adventure against nightmarish creatures. Now, with the recently released DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, all Tarnished have a whole new area to explore and lore to learn.
However, the DLC has thrown a whole new light on the world, not just with its size and content, but it looks like the map, according to eagle-eyed fans, fits the central water body in the Lands Between. This has made fans fascinated and intrigued about the hidden lore behind the popular soulslike title.
Shadow Realm is the Literal Shadow of Elden Ring’s Lands Between
There was something ominous about the empty body of water in the center of the Lands Between. When the Shadow of the Erdtree’s map is put on top of Elden Ring‘s base map the two maps perfectly match.
Furthermore, the DLC itself features a landmark called the Suppressing Pillar, which explicitly states you stand in the “very center of the Lands Between.” This particular statement and the obvious fact, have fans thinking the DLC takes place in a hidden rifted portion of the world.
This revelation has sparked several fan theories across the community. While some parts of the map clash with some Shadow of the Erdtree areas but when you take into account that the DLC has a more vertical nature, the two maps perfectly fit.
One fan has said that the size of the map is not important, but the lore has bigger implications that are already known.
Another fan added to it by saying that Realm of Shadow is a missing piece of the world itself.
Moreover, a player has jokingly added to the theory that the Shadow Realm is the land between the Lands Between.
Shadow of the Erdtree May Not Be The Only DLC Despite Miyazaki’s Statement
The perfect alignment of the maps between Elden Ring and the DLC suggests that FromSoftware and the game director, Hidetaka Miyazaki intentionally left room for additional content. Despite Miyazaki’s previous statements about the game receiving only one DLC, the missing areas imply otherwise.
It seems that there is an overarching plan with gaps in the map, labyrinths to explore, and more lore to find out.
The Lands Between is a remnant of a shattered past, and the perfect example is the Jagged Peak which conveniently fits around the crater where Farum Azula once resided when the two maps are overlaid.
It is known that Miyazaki’s statements aren’t always true, and this one may be one more addition to the list of his false statements, like DLC is the size of Limgrave or there are 10 bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Until more news on future Elden Ring content comes out, fans can only speculate. What are your thoughts? Is there any truth to these fan theories and will there be any new DLCs in the future? Let us know in the comments.
