The story trailer for Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring's first and only DLC, has dropped. Those hoping for the narrative being spelled out will be disappointed though, as FromSoftware has delivered the information in a characteristically enigmatic fashion.
News in brief
- The Shadow of the Erdtree's trail has dropped, revealing story details
- Messmer and Queen Marika appear to be central characters
- It's likely it will explore Marika's rise to divinity
Thankfully, this is nothing the Elden Ring and Dark Souls communities aren't already used to, as the tradition of lore being hidden in snippets of item text and throughout the world is well embedded within the games. So as you might expect, the theory crafters have leapt into the trailer with both feet, breaking down what they can see.
All of this speculation seems to revolve around the characters Messmer the Impaler and Queen Marika, and the DLC will apparently fill in details about their backstories. While the trailer seems mysterious and confusing to those without much idea of the Elden Ring backstory, those who know about the game will find much to explore in this video. For instance, the strings pulled at the start of the trailer — do those depict Marika ascending to divinity, leaving her mundane roots behind? Lorehounds will also appreciate the mention of Miquella, who seems to leave during the events of the DLC. Much mystery surrounds this character, and it's exciting for fans to have the chance to find out more.
Elden Ring was a massive hit when it released in February 2022, and the passing of the years has done little to reduce its popularity. DLC has been a long time coming, especially considering how well the game was received by both critics and audiences, and it's a real shame it's been confirmed this will be the first and last DLC for the game.
Shadow of the Erdtree will be released on June 20, 2024. You can rest assured that while FromSoftware will have revealed a lot in this trailer, there will still be plenty to discover when the DLC emerges. After all, there are likely to be plenty of item descriptions to read.