Elden Ring‘s highly anticipated DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is just a few months away from release. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behind the game, has been on several interviews, revealing important information for the DLC bit-by-bit, keeping fans hungry and wanting for more.
However, during a particular Famitsu interview that was conducted recently, he wasn’t able to answer one question; instead, he hoped players could figure out the answer.
Hidetaka Miyazaki Challenges Fans on Shadow of the Erdtree Query
As fans eagerly await the release of the soon-to-arrive Elden Ring DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game’s creator, recently shared some interesting information about it in an interview with Famitsu.
During the interview, he dove into the themes, storytelling approach, and awe-striking title of the upcoming expansion. When asked about the themes expressed in Shadow of the Erdtree, Hidetaka Miyazaki admitted:
That’s difficult to answer. That is exactly what I am hoping players will experience for themselves and it wouldn’t come out right if I talked about it here.
He explained that he wanted players to discover and interpret the themes themselves, suggesting that the DLC is best experienced firsthand. Regarding the DLC’s narrative, Miyazaki confirmed that it continues the heroic tale we see unfold in Elden Ring‘s main story.
He spoke of the character Messmer as another hero, whose presence and role are similar to other significant in the game. Just like the base game, many of the characters are interconnected in a grand narrative.
The Meaning of Shadow of the Erdtree, and its Storytelling
When asked about the fragmented storytelling approach used in Elden Ring and its DLC, Hidetaka Miyazaki had several reasons for it. He explained:
I want the gameplay experience to become the player’s story. For that, we don’t tell a rigid story in a verbose way.
This approach to storytelling encourages players to put their thinking caps on and piece together the lore, which adds another layer of immersion to the gameplay experience. You’re watching the narrative unfold right along with your character, and you only know as much as they do.
Hidetaka Miyazaki also talked about the meaning behind the title, Shadow of the Erdtree. Of course, “Erdtree” refers to the Golden Tree seen in the main game. The “Shadow” part comes from how the DLC will explore the shadowed realms associated with the tree.
In the concept art that was shown in Feb 2023, it is this shadow of the Erdtree that looms tall in the left background, and we also call this the “shadow tree”.
He continued:
So the DLC takes place not in the Lands Between, but the shadow lands of which the shadow tree is a symbol.
He also cheekily hinted that the title has a hidden deeper meaning in it, something that players will figure out as they play the expansion.
What are your predictions for the hidden meaning that Hidetaka Miyazaki is referring to? Let us know in the comments below!
