Director Hidetaka Miyazaki talks about Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

Elden Ring enthusiasts were recently treated to their first glimpse of gameplay from the highly anticipated Shadow of the Erdtree DLC. Alongside the official gameplay trailer, Director Hidetaka Miyazaki delved into the expansion in a recent interview.

IGN reporter Mitchell Saltxman had the opportunity to speak with Miyazaki about Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree. One of the initial inquiries was regarding the location of the DLC, which may not be where fans are expecting.

Instead of expanding upon The Lands Between, the map for Shadow of the Erdtree exists as a separate entity from the rest of the world. To access the “Land of Shadow,” players will need to warp from Miquella’s cocoon in Mohg’s Palace.

As hinted at in the first teaser image, the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree DLC revolves heavily around the demigod Miquella. Players will embark on a journey to retrace his path through the enigmatic realm, aiming to unravel the mystery of Miquella’s intentions and uncover the reason for Queen Marika’s involvement. However, players won’t be the only ones pursuing Miquella’s trail, as they will encounter new characters – some as potential allies, and others as potential foes.

Regarding the adversaries, Miyazaki teased a few of the new bosses featured in the trailer. For example, the “giant basket of flame” is an ancient weapon used in a war that ravaged the Land of Shadows in the distant past. The “kindling” burning inside the basket comprises the bodies of vanquished enemies. Furthermore, the towering, red-robed figure in the trailer will play a significant role in Shadow of the Erdtree, although Miyazaki refrained from sharing more details to avoid spoilers.

As for the Land of Shadows itself, Miyazaki revealed that it is structured similarly to the base game, with wide open zones dotted with dungeons of varying sizes. Additionally, he disclosed that the new map will be slightly larger than the Limgrave area in Elden Ring.