FromSoftware Has ‘Pushed the Envelope’ on What Can Be ‘Withstood’ by Players in Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree

The bosses in Elden Ring expansion Shadow of the Erdtree are seemingly developer FromSoftware’s toughest ever — more so than those in Dark Souls, Bloodborne, and Sekiro — as game director Hidetaka Miyazaki has said the team “really pushed the envelope” on what players can withstand.

Speaking to CNET, Miyazaki commented on the (at least) 10 new bosses featured in the highly anticipated expansion and said, as is the case in other FromSoftware games, it’s the optional bosses which will pose the most challenge.

“The new challenges for the player are going to be the boss encounters as well as the different kinds of threats that the world will impose on people,” Miyazaki said. Some of these bosses are aimed at players who’ve completed most of the base Elden Ring, meaning FromSoftware has “kind of really pushed the envelope in terms of what we think can be withstood by the player,” he added.

“Some bosses are a necessary part of the story development and arc, but some are not. The ones that aren’t are especially difficult [and] I think will pose a very good challenge and obstacle for players.”

FromSoftware released a major patch for Elden Ring in anticipation of Shadow of the Erdtree launching tomorrow, June 21, 2024. It included new hairstyles, additional quality of life improvements, and the ability to summon Spirit Steed (horse) Torrent in the final fight, to the glee of many Elden Ring players, but also a frustrating bug on Steam Deck.

Those with it downloaded will be mostly ready for Shadow of the Erdtree, but just like previous FromSoftware games, accessing the DLC isn’t as simple as selecting it on a menu, as players must tick off a handful of obscure feats beforehand, including beating an optional boss.

IGN’s guide on how to prepare for the Shadow of Erdtree is fully up to date with everything you need, however, and make sure to check out our Elden Ring interactive map to ensure you’re not missing any important collectibles.

You can also catch up on IGN’s “How Long to Beat” for Shadow of the Erdtree and kill some time ahead of its imminent release by reading our extensive 10/10 review.

“Like the base game did before it, Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree raises the bar for single player expansions,” we said. “It takes everything that made the base game such a landmark RPG, condenses it into a relatively compact 20-25 hour campaign, and provides fantastic new challenges for heavily invested fans to chew on.”

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelance reporter. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.