Elden Ring was a breakout success for FromSoftware last year, bringing even more players into the 'soulslike' fold. Fans of the title have been eagerly awaiting the release of the upcoming expansion which may be released later than assumed - though at the same time, the IP itself has been extended.
FromSoftware announced the new DLC for its best-selling title earlier this year. This follows rumors that the upcoming Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is expected to launch later this year. However, it seems that the rumors are unfounded and fans may have to wait a little longer to get their hands on the DLC.
According to GamingBolt, FromSoftware’s parent company Kadokawa recently released its financial report for the fiscal year. The report notes that Elden Ring has been a massive success in terms of sales numbers which isn’t a surprise given that the action RPG broke several records when it was released - and more since.
Browsing through the report, gamers can see that Shadow of the Erdtree isn’t listed for the current fiscal year which ends on March 31, 2024. Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon, however, and several other titles from Spike Chunsoft are listed for the current year.
Shadow of the Erdtree is listed under "medium to long-term direction". According to the report, FromSoftware is "developing DLC that will contribute to the enhancement of the ELDEN RING franchise. We are pursuing the maximization of profit by prolonging the life of IP."
The entry could suggest several things for the upcoming DLC. For one, it is likely that FromSoftware is still not yet ready to share the release date for Shadow of the Erdtree. Second, the studio is committed to extending the commercial viability of Elden Ring. FromSoftware may just be taking some extra precautions given the value of the Elden Ring brand and the commercial appeal of the DLC.
It could also be entirely possible that fans may have to wait until the next fiscal year, which is after April 1, 2024, to get their hands on the upcoming expansion. If this is true then Armored Core 6 will be the only title coming from the studio this year. The upcoming mecha game is scheduled for release on August 25, 2023.
However, given that Shadow of the Erdtree was announced very early in the year, it seems unlikely that FromSoftware will make fans wait very long for news about the DLC. Hopefully, we will still get a release date announcement in the next couple of months.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is coming to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
