Summary
Anticipation surroundingElden Ring’s upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is reaching new heights with the upcoming two-year anniversary of the game’s release, but there still has hardly been anything in terms of official news. Given the timeline of previous FromSoftware DLC content launches, many have started to predict a surprise announcement any day now, and others have taken to theorizing what approachElden Ring’s expansion could take. When considering the reality of how the base game ended things, there’s no telling what direction FromSoft has chosen to take when moving forward.
As Shadow of the Erdtree nears closer, there is reason to be concerned about one issue that has always come up in previous Soulslike DLCs of the same variety, abd that’s where the new content fits into the original sequence of the game. WhileDark Souls 3’s expansionsmay have chosen to bookend the game’s main story with what felt like a more true conclusion, the likes ofBloodborneand the originalDark Soulshad no problem with the player returning to the middle of the base game after completing their DLCs.
Shadow of the Erdtree’s Potential for Bringing New Endings to Elden Ring
Elden Ring Has to Acknowledge its Conclusion
Between theories stating the character in SotE’s key art is Miquella or Marika alike, some players have highlighted the real possibility thatElden Ringcould see a new ending added to the game through its expansion. It could come in the form of time travel, a dream world, oran addition to The Lands Between’s terrains, but whatever the DLC brings is likely to build upon the finale that most players have now experienced in the time since the base game’s launch.
The Mystery of Miquella’s Cut Content
One rumor that has added fuel to the flame of rumors regarding Shadow of the Erdtree relates to datamining that indicated Miquella once had a much bigger role. He allegedly had his own questline which would have led to a unique ending for this route,Elden Ring’s “Age of Abundance”. It’s unknown what this path could have fully entailed, but this hasn’t stopped some fans from theorizing about how it could fit into the upcoming DLC.
Following Up the Base Game of Elden Ring’s Endings is a Challenge
How Adding a New Ending to Elden Ring Can Make Sense
Players might feel excited about continuing the journey of their Tarnished, but most ofElden Ring’s conclusions have a sense of finality that can’t be ignored. Siding with the Frenzied Flame will have destroyed all life in the world, while going along withRanni’s Age of Stars endingwould mean a complete paradigm shift in how The Lands Between even operates. Given these narrative issues, it seems likely that FromSoft may choose to avoid these problems through the introduction of another alternative ending unlocked by completing SotE, that is if there’s a new ending to the base game at all.
Truly Resolving the Plights of The Lands Between
The resolute nature ofElden Ring’s existing endings can make it hard to imagine alternatives, but their deeper implications leave several issues unaddressed in a way that can be explored further.Miquella and Godwyn’s troubled loreis hardly fixed by even the Age of the Duskborn, leaving genuine potential for more to be done with depicting their full arcs. Whether Shadow of the Erdtree goes beyondElden Ring’s finale or expands upon it, only time will tell what impact the expansion will have on FromSoft’s latest world.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
