Much like developer FromSoftware, Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco is all-in on Shadow of the Erdtree. Unlike FromSoftware – specifically the studio's president, Hidetaka Miyazaki, who famously reckoned the DLC is "probably" bigger than Limgrave – Bandai's very loudly arguing that the impending Elden Ring DLC is about as big as a new game.
Speaking with GamesIndustry, Bandai Namco Europe chief marketing and sales officer Anthony Marace described Shadow of the Erdtree as "the largest FromSoftware [expansion] ever crafted, transcending the traditional scope of downloadable content." More to the point, Marace says the DLC "rivals the scope of a standalone game."
"Recognizing the significance of this release, we’ve approached the marketing of this expansion with the same vigor and commitment as we would for a brand-new title," he added. "From the initial announcement to the release, we’ve allocated a substantial budget and resources to ensure the campaign’s impact matches the content’s quality." (Bandai also says getting people to beat Mohg and Radahn was key to Shadow of the Erdtree marketing, or in other words, git gud and then buy the DLC, please.)
There's been some back and forth over Miyazaki's description of Shadow of the Erdtree, which looks increasingly modest now that we've seen this beast for ourselves (read our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree review here). Miyazaki has a history of underselling the games he directs, and FromSoftware is famously cryptic when it comes to the details of its games, so for a while we could only assume that Shadow of the Erdtree was going to be massive. Lo and behold, it is capital-H Huge.
I can understand why a developer would want to keep expectations in check, lest everyone run with the hype and conclude we're getting Elden Ring 2 in all but name, setting themselves up for a crash back to Earth. At the same time, you'd think FromSoftware would be eager to shout about this thing from the rooftops, or at least say it's bigger than frickin' Limgrave. It feels like a Limgrave inside of another Limgrave next to another, fiercer Limgrave. Perhaps the Souls crew has decided it's better for players to be surprised and market the game themselves in a state of 'You've gotta see this' shock.
Check your Elden Ring DLC release time – the Shadow of the Erdtree countdown is on.
