With less than a day until Shadow of the Erdtree’s release, it’s sad but predictable that spoilers are already on the internet. But what I didn’t expect was for spoilers to come directly from Bandai Namco, the publisher of Elden Ring and its highly anticipated DLC. However, that’s exactly what’s happened with Shadow of the Erdtree’s launch trailer. If you are looking forward to exploring the Land of Shadow unspoiled then I warn you, do not watch the trailer!
The new trailer (which I will not link for your sake) dropped today and it sure is a wonderful showcase of what fans can expect to find in the sprawling expansion. I took one for the team and watched it, and I can confirm that it provides a hefty look at a lot of what awaits you in Shadow of the Erdtree. “Well, what exactly constitutes a spoiler?” you may ask. Everything! At this point, anything you see about the expansion before you get your hands on it is, arguably, a potential spoiler. FromSoft games are narratively and mechanically dense, with both aspects serving as sources of delight and frustration for players to discover on their own. Knowing any more hints about the story or seeing any new enemies feels like losing out on a special moment you could have experienced unspoiled.
Of course, if you have read reviews or seen some of the early trailers for Shadow of the Erdtree, you might not think it’s that big of a deal. I will say that reviews and early footage only hint at the larger reveals of the expansion and typically only offer details on early sections. According to a post on social media from the YouTube channel Writing on Games, the launch trailer includes content they did not see until forty hours into the expansion.
Ahead of Shadow of the Erdtree’s release (which is so very close), all you need to know is that the expansion is very good. If you like Elden Ring you will like what FromSoftware has cooked up for you. Just make it through the next day without looking up stuff about the game and make liberal use of the mute features on social media.
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