Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Gets Release Date, Trailer, and Brutal New Boss Reveal

FromSoftware has just unleashed a massive wave of Elden Ring news, confirming that the long-awaited Shadow of the Erdtree expansion will launch on June 21, 2024. Alongside the release date, the studio dropped a stunning new trailer that offers the first real look at the DLC’s dark, haunting landscape — and a glimpse of a terrifying new boss that has the community buzzing.

Shadow of the Erdtree is set to be the game’s first and only major expansion, picking up the narrative threads left dangling in the base game. The trailer suggests players will journey into the Land of Shadow, a brand-new region shrouded in ash, ruins, and forgotten history. Miquella, the elusive brother of Malenia, appears to be central to the new story, with imagery in the trailer showing his discarded cocoon and whispers of his whereabouts unraveling within the foggy new zones.

But what most fans are talking about today is the reveal of a grotesque, high-level boss teased at the end of the trailer. Towering over a scorched battlefield, the creature appears to be part-dragon, part-deity, with glowing molten veins and multiple wings twisted like withered branches. Its brief screen time shows an onslaught of spells and flame-based attacks, hinting that the Shadow of the Erdtree won’t hold back in difficulty.

On top of the announcement, FromSoftware confirmed new weapons, armor sets, and sorceries tailored to the shadowy theme of the expansion. Fan-favorite combat styles from the base game appear to get fresh upgrades, and the studio promises deeper RPG systems for players who love builds and min-maxing.

Elden Ring’s community has erupted across social media with theories about lore connections, particularly speculations that the expansion’s world sits parallel to — or even beneath — the Lands Between. With just four months until release, fans are poring over every frame of the trailer, dissecting symbols and speculating on new threats.

FromSoftware’s return to the Tarnished’s journey is shaping up to be every bit as rich and brutal as players hoped. Shadow of the Erdtree might just be Elden Ring’s most punishing — and most rewarding — challenge yet.