FromSoftware has outdone themselves yet again with the massive new lands added to Elden Ring through the Shadow of the Erdtree downloadable content. With its sprawling open world to explore and challenging new bosses to conquer, the DLC provides dozens of additional hours of gameplay. Here we share our experiences diving into the Shadow realm and what it took to see everything this new region has to offer.
According to the IGN team who have been putting in hours dissecting every inch of the new region, completion times ranged from around 25 hours for the most focused players aiming straight for the final boss, to over 30 hours for those wanting to seek out every last secret and fully clear their maps. However, these times don't truly represent the full experience, as explained below.
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Exploration and Item Collection Takes Significant Time
Beyond just reaching the end of the critical path, fully unlocking the map, finding all map fragments and site of grace locations, upgrading your character, and experience experimenting with new weapons items and abilities adds many additional hours. Our guides producer Mitchell Saltzman noted playing for over 25 hours just to beat 6 of 10 main bosses, showing how much content lies outside the main story.
| Activity | Estimated Time Investment |
|---|---|
| Beating Final Boss | 25-30 hours |
| Full Map Clear | 30-40 hours |
| All Main Bosses Defeated | 40-50 hours |
For dedicated Elden Ring item farmers, obtaining rare drops, crafting materials and upgrade components to maximize their character and collections adds countless extra hours. The DLC introduced many powerful new legendary armaments, but acquiring the resources to fully upgrade them is a monumental task. For example, it can take several hours just farming a specific smithing stone needed for the +25 upgrades.
Recommendations for Your First Playthrough
Unless you have unlimited free time, you'll have to prioritize what aspects of the DLC to focus on during your initial playthrough. Our advice would be to follow the critical path and beat all main dungeons/bosses first before diving into full completion. This allows you to experience the main story beats in 30-40 hours. You can then restart NG+ or return later with a focused farming/completionist mindset.
If you're looking for assistance in your adventures, consider buying Elden Ring items to avoid the grind and maximize your playtime having fun. Services like this allow you to acquire rare endgame gear and resources instantly to smoothly progress your character without the headache of farming.
More Adventures Still to Come
Even for those who have already spent 50+ hours delving the Shadow realm, FromSoftware's tradition of obscure secrets means more discoveries undoubtedly still lie in wait. The community is constantly sharing new strategy guides, so make sure to check sources like IGN for ongoing coverage as players continue to unravel every hidden facet of Elden Ring's latest EPIC challenge.
Has the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC satisfied your appetite for Elden Ring, or are you already itching to dive back in for another playthrough Now that you know what to expect, how will you approach your adventure through the Shadow realm?
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