Elden Ring's Massive DLC: Will Shadow of the Erdtree Break the Dark Souls Mold?

Eagerly anticipated by fans of the Soulsborne series, Elden Ring's first DLC, Shadow of the Erdtree, is set to be the largest expansion yet from FromSoftware. The developer has a history of providing paid DLC for its games, with the exception of Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice. However, accessing these expansions can be a complicated process, leaving some fans hoping that Shadow of the Erdtree will break from tradition.

While DLC for other games is typically straightforward to access, FromSoftware's approach is often more challenging. Rather than providing a seamless integration of additional content, the developer tends to take a different approach. In the case of the Soulsborne series, players usually need to complete the main campaign before accessing the DLC. It remains to be seen how Shadow of the Erdtree will handle this aspect, but fans are hoping for a more accessible experience.

Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree Should Be Simple to Access

Accessing the DLC content in FromSoftware's games can be a daunting task, as players are often required to meet specific prerequisites before they can dive into the new material. Bloodborne's award-winning DLC, The Old Hunters, takes this to another level, with a convoluted process that involves being at a certain point in the game, collecting a specific item, and going to a seemingly random location to trigger the opening sequence. Without a guide, it's hard to imagine how a player could find this additional content. However, the Soulsborne series' DLCs tend to offer some of the finest content in the games, with memorable areas and challenging boss fights. For example, Dark Souls' Knight Artorias the Abysswalker and Dark Souls 3's Sister Friede are both exhilarating encounters that exist solely because of their respective DLCs.

The quality of this content makes it worth the effort to access. Elden Ring boasts numerous accessibility features and is arguably the most accessible title in FromSoftware's renowned Soulsborne library, thanks to its in-game mechanics designed to assist players. Despite its difficulty being on par with its predecessors, these mechanics have widened the game's audience beyond what FromSoftware had achieved before.

The game's sales and player count are a testament to this success. Therefore, it would make sense for Shadow of the Erdtree to follow suit and prioritize accessibility. Even without introducing new features, making the DLC easily accessible as standalone content or available at any point in the game would align with FromSoftware's commitment to expanding the game's appeal.