Hidetaka Miyazaki’s Elden Ring was a massive change to the tried-and-tested FromSoftware formula. Now, it wasn’t entirely unlike its predecessors; rather, it built upon their foundations to expand the game in entirely new ways.
The free-roam open-world setting enabled players to explore the Lands Between as they wished, with the only restriction being the level of foes they fight and some story elements. We can expect much of the same in the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, but Miyazaki has revealed there will be three ways adventuring in the DLC will differ from the base game.
Follow in the Footsteps of a Titular Character in the Land of Shadow
FromSoftware games rarely hold the player’s hand when it comes to traversing the world. It’s all about trial and error, and even the narrative needs to be pieced together via exploration. Elden Ring made exploration a bit easier for the markers from specific sites of grace.
With the expansion featuring a map as large as the first area in Elden Ring, Limgrave, we might need a bit of direction in Shadow of the Erdtree as well. Thankfully, Hidetaka Miyazaki has accounted for this, but we likely won’t be seeing grace markers.
In an interview with Famitsu, Miyazaki revealed we will now be following in the footsteps of Miquella, the demigod brother of Malenia. While this may mean we’ll be retracing his steps, we may see a literal representation of footprints in the world. Additionally, NPCs are also following the demigod, and the story of the expansion is told via their experiences.
Full translation of the Famitsu interview with Miyazaki for Shadow of the Erdtree
byu/theangryfurlong inEldenring
Fans who love the lore behind FromSoftware games will be pleased to know the DLC is going to delve into the history of the Land of Shadow. Not only that, we will also get more information regarding Queen Marika, mother to Miquella and Malenia, and the very embodiment of the Golden Order. All three of these aspects differ greatly from Elden Ring, and represent a slight shift to a different experience in the upcoming Elden Ring DLC. Big thanks to Redditor u/theangryfurlong for translating the interview.
Hidetaka Miyazaki Is Adding a Lot of Content to the DLC
FromSoftware doesn’t do anything on a small scale. All the DLCs for their titles have been substantial expansions that fans can sink their teeth into. Miyazaki has confirmed Shadow of the Erdtree is going to be their largest expansion to date, and it feels like June 21 can’t get here quicker. Just make sure you’ve dealt with Mohg to access the DLC in day one.
The expansion is focused on Miquella, but we have some new characters too. The mysterious and menacing Messmer appears to be the antagonist, but has been described by Miyazaki as a “hero.” Whether that means we are going against him as a way to save the world or to further our agenda will only be revealed later.
Given that the DLC can only be accessed after beating Mohg, it’s going to require late-game builds. So if you haven’t been playing the game, now is a good time to boot it up and get back into the swing of things. After all, even the Tarnished can become rusty over time.
What do you think of the new exploration mechanics in the DLC? Let us know in the comments below!
