A recent development should be plenty exciting for Elden Ring fans looking forward to the open world game’s Shadow of the Erdtree DLC.
Highlights
The Steam version of Elden Ring has added a new DLC package, suggesting that the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC could be coming soon.
FromSoftware has a history of delivering high-quality DLC, raising expectations for the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
Evidence such as updates to the Steam files and a leaked controller release date point to the possibility of the Elden Ring DLC being released in February 2024.
The Steam version of Elden Ring has added a new DLC package to its files, suggesting Shadow of the Erdtree could be coming sooner rather than later. Elden Ring is coming up on its two-year anniversary, but fans still have yet to see anything substantial about the game's DLC. All they know is that the DLC exists and it's called Shadow of the Erdtree.
FromSoftware has a long history of supplementing its games with DLC expansions, many of which have been well-received by fans. Thanks to its track record of delivering high-quality DLC, expectations are high for Shadow of the Erdtree. Unfortunately for anxious fans hungry for more information, FromSoftware has been mostly quiet about the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC since it was first announced, but mounting evidence suggests that will change in the near future.
The latest hint that the Elden Ring DLC is coming soon comes courtesy of the game's Steam files, as spotted by Ziostorm on Twitter. A DLC package called "SteamDB Unkonwn App 2778580" was added earlier this month, though its file size and other details are unavailable at this time. While it's possible this is for something completely unrelated to Shadow of the Erdtree, many fans have taken this as a sign that the long-awaited DLC is right around the corner.
This isn't the only evidence that the Elden Ring DLC will be releasing in the near future. Back in December, the product page for an Elden Ring-themed controller from Thrustmaster said its release would coincide with the launch of Shadow of the Erdtree in February 2024. The listing's removal led many to believe that it was a legitimate leak, and that the Elden Ring DLC would indeed be coming out for the game's second anniversary.
Elden Ring launched on February 25, 2022, so it's possible that the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC will be out on the same day. Then again, February 25 falls on a Thursday this year. The vast majority of game releases (including expansions) happen on Tuesdays or Fridays, so maybe the DLC will come on a different day in February – assuming it's launching in February at all, of course.
The latest official update on the Elden Ring DLC came from FromSoftware parent company Kadokawa Corporation. In an earnings report, Kadokawa Corporation said that Elden Ring DLC development is proceeding smoothly, but opted not to reveal any release information at that time. As February gets closer, hopefully the wait for the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is nearly at an end.
Elden Ring is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set in a world co-created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, the creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R.R. Martin, the author of the best-selling fantasy series A Song of Ice and Fire. This collaboration between two renowned creators has resulted in FromSoftware's largest game to date, filled with danger and discovery at every turn. Hidetaka Miyazaki, president and game director of FromSoftware, has a history of directing highly acclaimed games in franchises such as Armored Core and Dark Souls.