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Not exactly. Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki did not call Shadow of the Erdtree “too hard” or say its difficulty was a mistake. Before release, he described the balancing challenge: make the expansion demanding for experienced players without making it overwhelming for more casual ones. After release, he explained that FromSoftware aims for deaths players can understand and learn from—and acknowledged that some players may disagree and the studio can improve.
What did Miyazaki say about the expansion’s difficulty?
In a pre-release interview for IGN Fan Fest 2024, Miyazaki said FromSoftware wanted to challenge experienced players while avoiding difficulty that was too much for more casual players. He also said the studio’s general approach had not changed from the base game:
“Our general approach to difficulty has of course not changed to Elden Ring. We want to create a challenging experience that tests the players and that gives them a feeling of satisfaction and accomplishment when they get through these struggles.”
That is a statement of intent, not an admission that the expansion overshot its target. Miyazaki also said players could change their approach, put an encounter aside and return later. Some bosses were meant as extra challenges, not essential hurdles to completing the DLC.
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![ELDEN RING - Shadow of the Erdtree - Xbox [Digital Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/41oWZz2OeeL._SL160_.jpg)
- Playable on 21st June 2024.
- Pre-order now and get the following bonus content for the expansion: ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Bonus Gesture
- Winner of hundreds of accolades including The Game Awards Game of the Year and Golden Joystick Awards Ultimate Game of the Year, ELDEN RING is the acclaimed action RPG epic set in a vast, dark fantasy world. Players embark on an epic quest with the freedom to explore and adventure at their own pace.
- The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion features an all-new story set in the Land of Shadow imbued with mystery, perilous dungeons, and new enemies, weapons and equipment.
- Discover uncharted territories, face formidable adversaries, and revel in the satisfying triumph of victory. Dive into the riveting interplay of characters, where drama and intrigue intertwine, that create an immersive experience to savor and enjoy.
Read the IGN Fan Fest 2024 interview transcript republished by Xtreme Servers.
How does he define fair difficulty?
After the expansion launched, Miyazaki described fairness in terms of whether players can make sense of a defeat. In a Game Informer interview published June 24, 2024, he said:
“When players are killed, and they can understand why they were killed in an instance, and it feels justified – ‘Okay, yeah, that makes sense’ – that’s the game design we’re trying to achieve.”
He added: “We believe in difficult games, but not games that are unjustly or unfairly so. But, of course, there’s still room for improvement on our side, as well.”
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesThis is FromSoftware’s design standard, not proof that every player will find every encounter fair. Miyazaki acknowledged that players may see the game as confusing or unfair; frustration is a real experience even when the intended design is learnable. Read the full Game Informer interview.
Why can the DLC feel so punishing?
Miyazaki told CNET, in an interview excerpt reported by PC Gamer on June 20, 2024, that the team had “really pushed the envelope in terms of what we think can be withstood by the player.” He said the studio hoped that approach to boss encounters would make them engaging and fun, but added: “But if that is not the case, then I’m sorry!”
That remark captures the tension better than saying he declared the DLC too hard: FromSoftware deliberately aimed high, while recognizing that players might not experience the result as intended. The available interviews do not establish a standardized difficulty score or controlled comparison between the expansion and the base game.
Read PC Gamer’s report quoting the CNET interview.
What can you do if Shadow of the Erdtree feels too hard?
The games’ design gives players options beyond repeatedly challenging the same obstacle. In the base game, Miyazaki described freedom to leave a difficult encounter, explore, build up resources and return; he also cited multiplayer assistance and stealth as tools. For the expansion, he likewise described changing tactics, temporarily circumventing an encounter or coming back later. These are options, not a guarantee that every fight will become easy.
- Pause a wall: Explore elsewhere and return when you are better prepared or have more experience with the game’s combat.
- Change your approach: Try a different strategy rather than treating one failed tactic as the only route forward.
- Use the game’s flexibility: In the base game, Miyazaki specifically cited multiplayer help and stealth among ways players can approach challenges.
- Separate optional challenges from progression: Miyazaki said some DLC bosses were extra tests and were not crucial to finishing the expansion.
What is Shadow of the Erdtree, and what do you need to play it?
Shadow of the Erdtree is downloadable content for Elden Ring, released June 21, 2024. The base game is required, and Bandai Namco’s product notice says players must have played it to a certain extent to start the expansion. Officially listed platforms are PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and Steam.
In a joint notice dated June 27, 2024, Bandai Namco Entertainment and FromSoftware reported more than 5 million expansion units sold worldwide within three days of release. That is a launch-period figure, not a current sales total. The same notice reported more than 25 million Elden Ring units worldwide since 2022, as of that announcement.
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Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →See the official Bandai Namco Entertainment and FromSoftware announcement.
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