Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion Gets June Release Date and First Gameplay Reveal

After more than a year of hushed anticipation and rampant speculation, FromSoftware has officially unveiled the release date and first gameplay trailer for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. The long-awaited expansion to 2022’s Game of the Year will launch worldwide on June 21, 2024, across all platforms.

The new trailer, which dropped early this morning, dives headfirst into the dark mythos that defines the Lands Between, offering a tantalizing look at new enemies, expansive locales, and narrative twists that promise to deepen the lore introduced in the base game. Clocking in at over three minutes, the cinematic showcases haunting landscapes drenched in moody lighting, grotesque new bosses, and hints at mysterious characters, including one who may be linked to the enigmatic figure Miquella, long teased but never seen in the original game.

The expansion’s story appears to take place in a new realm accessible through the existing Elden Ring world, delivering an entirely fresh environment for players to explore. FromSoftware hasn’t revealed many specific plot points, but the tone set by the trailer suggests a thematic focus on decay, memory, and divine betrayal—classic motifs for director Hidetaka Miyazaki.

Gameplay-wise, fans can expect new weapon categories, armor sets, magic abilities, and a wider variety of builds in response to popular community feedback. The trailer offers brief glimpses of dual-wielded spears, spectral summons, and mechanically complex boss fights reminiscent of Dark Souls III’s most iconic encounters. There’s also a quick flash of a mounted combat sequence in a decaying cathedral—enough to keep theorycrafters busy until launch.

Shadow of the Erdtree will be a premium DLC and preorders are now live, with a deluxe edition bundling the expansion and collectible merchandise. Given Elden Ring’s unprecedented 20 million units sold milestone earlier this year, expectations are soaring for this expansion to set a new benchmark in open-world RPG storytelling and design.

June can’t come soon enough for Tarnished everywhere.