Elden Ring’s massive expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, is primed to launch on June 21st for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X. While players eagerly await its arrival, reviews for the DLC have already begun pouring in, and the praise is as resounding as it was for the base game.
Here’s the kicker: Shadow of the Erdtree has snatched the title of the highest-rated expansion ever on Metacritic! As of this writing, the PS5 version boasts a score of 95 on the review aggregator website, placing it among the absolute best games ever created.
Shadow of the Erdtree: A Monumental Expansion
FromSoftware has truly outdone itself with Shadow of the Erdtree. This ambitious project dwarfs previous expansions, offering a whole new world map to explore. Players can delve into a fresh storyline, face off against formidable new bosses, experiment with unique weapon classes and spells, and lose themselves in dozens of hours of additional content.
Critical Acclaim Across the Board
Reviews for the upcoming expansion are universally positive, with high scores dominating the board. Based on 56 critic reviews at the time of writing, Shadow of the Erdtree has secured a phenomenal 95 on Metacritic. This score not only establishes it as the highest-rated expansion ever, but also positions it at a prestigious 36th place on Metacritic’s overall list of top-rated games of all time. Notably, the expansion sits just one point behind the base game’s impressive 96 Metacritic score (based on 93 reviews).
Surpassing the Previous King: The Witcher 3’s Blood and Wine
Prior to Shadow of the Erdtree’s reign, The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt’s Blood and Wine expansion held the title of highest-rated DLC on Metacritic, boasting a score of 92. It’s important to remember that review scores can fluctuate as more reviews come in for the expansion.
Elden Ring’s Continued Dominance
Last week, developer FromSoftware confirmed that Elden Ring has surpassed a staggering 25 million copies sold worldwide. This action RPG, released in 2022, has become FromSoftware’s best-selling title by a comfortable margin, leaving popular titles like Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Dark Souls III (both exceeding 10 million units sold) in its wake.
Shadow of the Erdtree: Key Details
To experience Shadow of the Erdtree, players will need to own the base game Elden Ring. The expansion focuses on the story of Miquella, Malenia’s brother, and unfolds within the Realm of Shadow, a completely new area in the Elden Ring world. Players will also encounter a menacing new antagonist: Messmer the Impaler. Mark your calendars, because Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree arrives on June 21st for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series S/X.