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Draft:Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

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Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree
File:Shadow of the Erdtree Cover.jpg
Platform(s)Windows, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series
Release20 June 2024

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is a 2024 downloadable content expansion to the 2022 action role-playing game Elden Ring developed by From Software. Following release, the game received several award nominations at The Game Awards 2024, including Game of the Year, prompting debate about the merits of inclusion of DLC in game award categories.

Gameplay

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Setting

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Shadow of the Erdtree introduces the Land of Shadow, where Marika originated. Her people were wiped out by the Hornsent, beings similar to Omens who ruled the Lands Between at the time. Spurred on by the Two Fingers, this prompted her to become a god using an artifact called the Gate of Divinity. Afterward, she magically concealed the Land of Shadow from the rest of the Lands Between. She then had another of her offspring, Messmer, massacre the Hornsent to avenge her people. She later ostracized him, both to keep her origins hidden and to prevent him from becoming a future threat.

Plot

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The Tarnished follows the trail of Miquella, whom Mohg seemingly abducted. After slaying Mohg and Radahn, they discover that Miquella abandoned his body to pass into the Land of Shadow. Entering the realm through Miquella's corpse, the Tarnished continues tracking him by locating aspects of him throughout the land, which he abandoned to sever his ties to the Erdtree. Optionally, the Tarnished can also interact with Miquella's followers: Leda, one of Miquella's knights; Dane, a monk disillusioned with the Golden Order; Freyja, a soldier of Radahn's army; Hornsent, a Land of Shadow native; Thiollier, a worshipper of Miquella's female alter-ego, St. Trina; Sir Ansbach, a former follower of Mohg; and Moore, a Scarlet Rot creature.

Miquella's trail leads the Tarnished to the Gate of Divinity, but they find it locked behind magical thorns, forcing them to confront and kill Messmer to burn them away using his power. However, upon nearing the Gate, they are confronted by Miquella's followers, who had turned on each other after his affection-compelling charm came undone, with the survivors dependent on the Tarnished's choices. Confronting Miquella, it is revealed that he had orchestrated his own abduction and used Mohg's corpse to revive Radahn as his consort in a divine ascension ritual. The Tarnished proceeds to kill both Miquella and Radahn, thwarting the mystic's ascendency to godhood and preventing his 'Age of Compassion' from coming to pass.

Development and release

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Interviews [1] [2] [3] [4] [5]

Reception

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Sales

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Critical reception

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According to review aggregator Metacritic, Shadow of the Erdtree received "universal acclaim".[6]

Awards

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Shadow of the Erdtree received the award for Best Game Expansion at the 2024 Golden Joystick Awards.[9] The game also received several nominations at The Game Awards 2024 for Game of the Year, Best Game Direction, Best Art Direction and Best RPG.[10]

Accolades received by Elden Ring
Award Date Category Result Ref.
The Golden Joystick Awards 21 November 2024 Best Game Expansion Won [11]
The Game Awards 2024 12 December 2024 Game of the Year Nominated [12]
Best Game Direction Nominated
Best Art Direction Nominated
Best Role Playing Game Nominated
Players' Voice Nominated

The Game Awards nomination

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Following announcement of The Game Awards 2024 shortlist in November 2024,[13] the nominations prompted debate from voters and critics about whether an expansion pack should be eligible for awards normally reserved for standalone games, and whether separate award categories were needed.[14][15] Ali Jones of GamesRadar argued that the nominations felt "misplaced" and "borderline disrespectful", stating that nominating an expansion from a game released before 2024 was "subverting the point of having a game of the year in the first place", and reduced the chance of recognition for newer games.[16] Other arguments raised against its nomination included that the expansion was not a standalone experience, requiring substantial completion of the original game to play.[17][18] In contrast, some critics argued in support of the nominations, citing the size and content of the expansion made it a work of independent recognition, and that the expansion was as deserving of recognition as any other game.[19][20]

In response, The Game Awards issued a statement that that maintained that the awards "recognize the best creative and technical work each year, irrespective of the format of that content's release".[14] The British Academy Games Awards, which did not nominate Shadow of the Erdtree for its shortlist, issued a statement on their website in December 2024 that "Our Best Game category specifically recognises full games", clarifying that DLC was only eligible for consideration in the Evolving Game category.[21][22]

References

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  1. ^ Parrish, Ash (23 June 2024). "Even Elden Ring's game director knows Erdtree is too hard". The Verge. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  2. ^ Gould, Elie (27 June 2024). "'I absolutely suck at video games': Hidetaka Miyazaki discusses how he prepped for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree". PC Gamer. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  3. ^ MacDonald, Keza (21 June 2024). "'I have always felt the world was a harsh place': Elden Ring's Hidetaka Miyazaki on why he may never stop making games". The Guardian. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  4. ^ Lumb, David (17 June 2024). "Elden Ring Creator Hidetaka Miyazaki Talks Shadow of the Erdtree, New Weapons and More". CNET. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  5. ^ Saltzman, Mitchell (22 February 2024). "EXCLUSIVE: Elden Ring Director Answers All of Our Shadow of the Erdtree DLC Questions". IGN. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  6. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference MC was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Hussain, Tamoor (16 March 2022). "Elden Ring Review - Death Of The Wild". GameSpot. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  8. ^ Colp, Tyler (19 June 2024). "Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree review". PC Gamer. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  9. ^ Jones, Ali (22 November 2024). "Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree wins Best Game Expansion at the Golden Joystick Awards 2024". GamesRadar. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  10. ^ Moore, Bo (13 December 2024). "The Game Awards 2024 Winners: The Full List". IGN. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  11. ^ Jones, Ali (22 November 2024). "Here are all the Golden Joystick Awards 2024 winners". GamesRadar. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  12. ^ Stark, Chelsea (December 13, 2024). "Here are all The Game Awards 2024 winners". Polygon. Archived from the original on December 13, 2024. Retrieved December 13, 2024.
  13. ^ Williams, Demi (19 November 2024). "The Game Awards 2024 nominees have been announced with Shadow of the Erdtree being the first DLC to be up for a Game of the Year award". TechRadar. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  14. ^ a b Bailey, Kat (19 November 2024). "Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Game Awards Nomination Sparks Renewed Debate Among Fans". IGN. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  15. ^ Lemay, Ryan (19 November 2024). "Game Awards voters slam decision to include Elden Ring DLC in GOTY category". Dexerto. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  16. ^ Jones, Ali (20 November 2024). "Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree shouldn't be eligible for Game of the Year". GamesRadar. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  17. ^ Karoglou, Matt (30 November 2024). "The Case For and Against Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Game Awards Nominations". Game Rant. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  18. ^ Tassi, Paul (19 November 2024). "'Elden Ring: Shadow Of The Erdtree' Should Not Win, Or Be Nominated For, GOTY 2024". Forbes. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  19. ^ Hughes, William (22 November 2024). "Why the hell can't an Elden Ring expansion be a Game Of The Year contender?". The A.V. Club. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  20. ^ King, Andrew (19 November 2024). "DLC Deserves To Win Awards Like Any Other Game". TheGamer. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  21. ^ Penwell, Chris (10 December 2024). "BAFTA Releases Long List of Video Game Nominations, DLC Not Eligible for Best Game". Hardcore Gamer. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
  22. ^ Nightingale, Ed (10 December 2024). "Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC won't be eligible for BAFTA's Best Game award". Eurogamer. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
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