Elden Ring Director On Possibly "More Ideas" Beyond Shadow Of The Erdtree DLC

Developer FromSoftware unveiled the gameplay trailer for Elden Ring's upcoming expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, which the trailer concluded with the DLC's official release date. The upcoming DLC will be expanding the world of the Lands Between, which, according to the official announcement, players will be exploring "a place obscured by the Erdtree where the goddess Marika first set foot.”

Game director Hidetaka Miyazaki recently spoke to IGN in an exclusive interview on the upcoming DLC for Elden Ring, which is scheduled for release on 21st June 2024 for console and PC. During the interview, Miyazaki was asked about the future of Elden Ring and whether the studio would explore another expansion or possible sequel.

Regarding the possibility of exploring more narratives and worlds beyond the Lands Between following the Shaodw of the Erdtree's release, Miyazaki commented that the studio wouldn't "want to say this is the end of the Elden Ring saga for now,” reflecting back on a similar situation with the Dark Souls series.

We didn’t want to flatten those possibilities or put a pin in them just at that time. And it’s a similar story with Elden Ring. We don’t want to discourage the possibilities for that. There might be more ideas in the future.

Miyazaki reiterated that FromSoftware doesn't have plans currently on expanding the Lands Between even further after the events of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. The acclaimed game director added that while the studio doesn't want to rule out its possibility, he thinks "that there could well be something in the future.”

Players will be returning to Elden Ring but exploring a new world from removed from the Lands Between. As they explore the Land of Shadow, the world boasts a new, separate map that's "overshadowed by the particular Shadow of the Erdtree."

According to Miyazaki in the aforementioned interview, the twin brother of Malenia, Miquella, will be central to the expansion's narrative as they'll be recounting his journey to the Land of Shadow and the same character that appeared in the first promotional artwork, almost a year ago. Players can expect a similar gameplay experience from the base game as they'll encounter various characters, "threatening bosses with new weapons and armor," according to the official announcement.

Lastly, Miyazaki added that the studio's approach to the gameplay hasn't seen much change regarding difficulty in the upcoming DLC. As explained, it will still boast a "challenging experience" for players but stresses that there's room for unique approaches and strategies when coming face-to-face with the new enemies and bosses players will tackle in Shadow of the Erdtree.