Elden Ring fans are absolutely brimming with excitement for Shadow of the Erdtree, the long-awaited expansion to the 2022 Game of The Year. The DLC releases on 21 June 2024, and time just isn’t passing by quickly enough.
As much as players want to dive in, though, the expansion does have its own requirements to be able to plunge you into the Lands of Shadows. FromSoftware CEO and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki has revealed what you need to have accomplished in the base game to access the DLC.
Miquella’s Decaying Hand Is Shadow Of The Erdtree’s Entry Point
In an interview with Famitsu, Miyazaki revealed the access point from where players will be transported into the shadow lands of Shadow of the Erdtree:
It is not connected to the main field, you will be teleported there. The entrance is the cocoon, or the arm that dangles from it, found in the battle area with Mohg, Lord of Blood.
The revelation is certainly interesting, as it means the arm hanging out of the cocoon, which according to lore is Miquella’s, has a part to play in Shadow of the Erdtree‘s story.
The gameplay reveal trailer also introduced Messmer the Impaler, who has been hinted as the main villain Tarnished will face in the expansion. The antagonist’s appearance is very similar to the skinny arm dangling from the cocoon, raising questions about his true identity.
What Stands Between You And Shadow Of The Erdtree
As fun as it is to speculate, though, there’s an obvious restriction that players have to overcome before delving into the DLC. After what Miyazaki said about the access point, dedicated players may have deduced that Mohg is in the way, as the cocoon is in his battle arena and can only be accessed after we beat him.
Adding on to his answer about where the Land of Shadows will be accessed, Miyazaki confirmed which bosses Elden Ring players have to defeat in order to play Shadow of the Erdtree:
Also, in order to access this DLC, you will need to have defeated Mohg and Radahn.
Mohg is obvious for the reason highlighted previously, but Radahn is interesting. From what we’ve learned from the gameplay trailer, the only connection relating to Radahn is that both him and Messmer are demigods, the latter being confirmed by Miyazaki.
A line from Messmer in the DLC’s gameplay trailer also hints at this: “Mother, wouldst thou truly Lordship sanction, in one so bereft of light?” The mention of “Mother” may reference Queen Marika, proving Messmer’s demigod status but raising doubts about his relationship with Malenia and Miquella.
Shadow of the Erdtree‘s mysteries are aplenty, and June can’t come soon enough. Touted by FromSoftware as their largest expansion to date, fans reckon we know far less about the DLC than the studio has let on.
However, accessing the DLC has its own set of challenges, and thanks to Hidetaka Miyazaki, we now know Mohg and Radahn have to be toppled before we can jump into the shadow lands. All that’s left to do is pick up our weapons and get to cheesing the bosses, while also preparing for what lays ahead in June.
