Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree ESRB Rating References Malenia

With Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion releasing on 20 June 2024, the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB) has revealed its not-so-surprising rating. Alongside the rating is a description some might find intriguing as it strongly references Malenia, the toughest boss in the base game...

Elden Ring ESRB Description & Rating

First up, the official ESRB Rating for Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is M (Mature 17+), which definitely isn't surprising considering the amount of gore, blood, monsters, and even body parts in The Lands Between. 

Then, there's the description, which recently appeared online, and in it, the following line: "a humanoid monster is depicted partially nude, with scales/scars covering its breast and pelvic regions," which points towards Malenia, Blade of Miquella. You can read the full description below.

This is an action role-playing game in which players assume the role of a character trying to retrieve a magical ring and become the Elden Lord. From a third-person perspective, players explore environments, collect items, and battle various enemies (e.g., knights, fantastical creatures) in melee combat. Players use swords, spears, axes, arrows, and magic to enemies; combat is highlighted by cries of pain, splatters of blood, and impact sounds. The game includes depictions of gore: collectible items that include severed fingers and tongues; a boss character cutting off its arm; severed arms hanging from a ceiling. During the course of the game, a humanoid monster is depicted partially nude, with scales/scars covering its breast and pelvic regions. The word “sh*t” appears in the dialogue.

So why is it a bit odd? Not because of the M (Mature 17+) rating but because of the description. It's for Shadow of the Edtree, after all, but it appears that the ESRB Rating's description references the main Elden Ring game and not the description, indirectly pointing toward Malenia.

Could this mean that Malenia will appear in Shadow of the Erdtree? While there are fan theories that definitely point towards Malenia appearing in some way, shape, or form in Shadow of the Erdtree, the ESRB description for the expansion is just a copy/paste from the original.

Sorry to burst your bubble! We can't help but wonder if the ESRB description will be updated before the expansion's release and if we might find any secrets hidden within.

In case you've somehow missed the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree trailer, feast your eyes on it below! 

Will Malenia appear in Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree expansion? It is possible, but the ESRB rating doesn't confirm anything since it's a copy of the base game's description.