Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree Trailer Confirms June Release, Massive New Realm

After nearly two years of anticipation, FromSoftware has unveiled the first full trailer for Elden Ring’s long-awaited DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree — and it’s as dark, mysterious, and massive as fans had hoped. Releasing on June 21, 2024, the expansion promises a return to the brutal, sweeping landscapes that defined Elden Ring’s massive success in 2022, while introducing an entirely new world to explore.

Shadow of the Erdtree follows the story of Miquella, the elusive Empyrean sibling of Malenia, who was only briefly referenced in the base game. The trailer, which dropped this morning alongside an in-depth press release, offers cryptic glimpses of a scorched golden realm, twisted dungeons, and new grotesque bosses that are already igniting lore speculation across the community. Fans can expect new weapons, armor sets, and magic systems, along with what appears to be a wholly separate map — described by FromSoftware as “equal in scope to major legacy dungeons from the base game.”

Set in the mysterious Land of Shadow, the DLC appears to shift the tone even further into the macabre, with haunting imagery of eroded Erdtree ley lines, forgotten kingdoms, and a deeper exploration into the Golden Order’s corruption. FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed in a Famitsu interview that players will enter this region through a “hidden point in the Lands Between,” suggesting that those who’ve only scratched the game’s surface may need to delve deeper into late-game content to access the expansion.

Fans can now pre-order the Shadow of the Erdtree Collector’s Edition, which includes a 40-page hardcover artbook, a downloadable soundtrack, and a striking statue of “Messmer the Impaler,” a new antagonist introduced in the trailer. A new gameplay showcase is scheduled for early May, hinting at more reveals on the mechanics and narrative direction.

With Elden Ring already cemented as a Game of the Year titan, expectations for its follow-up content are sky-high. If the trailer is any indication, Shadow of the Erdtree might not only meet those expectations — it might eclipse them entirely.