Bandai Namco’s marketing strategy for the Elden Ring expansion has been unconventional, as the publisher makes a massive reveal, disappears for a while, and pops back on everyone’s radars with another huge update. A year after Miyazaki’s magnum opus took the industry by storm, the developer revealed the existence of the DLC. That was followed by more silence, until Shadow of the Erdtree got a trailer a few months ago and things started moving forward.

But now, with exactly one month to go before Elden Ring gets its expansion, Bandai Namco has shared a story trailer that makes the wait much harder.

Elden Ring Heads to the Realm of Shadow in the Gorgeous Footage

Similar to the trailers that FromSoftware games have had in the past, the story footage for Shadow of the Erdtree doesn’t specify much, taking a subtle route and leaving more questions than answers about what to expect.

SUGGESTED: How to Get All Endings in Elden Ring

Aside from the ambiguous narration, it’s clear that although the expansion follows the same art style as the base game, the stunning visuals give it an individual identity, promising a fresh experience as players will be taken to the Realm of Shadow.

Taking things to the beginning, the narrator explains how war overtook the world after the birth of the Shadow, resulting in terror and everything being engulfed in flames.

To no one’s surprise, the fiery bloodshed was orchestrated by none other than Messmer the Impaler, who has the potential to be one of the greatest villains in the Elden Ring universe. Another interesting takeaway from the trailer is that the lion introduced in the first footage fights against the tyrannical Messmer, creating more intrigue about the dynamics that will follow these characters.

However, one thing’s for certain: Messmer looks like he’s going to give the player base a hard time, as the trailer showcases his flaming powers that destroy everyone in his way.

The Tarnished Assemble in Shadow of the Erdtree

While Miquella may not have been able to stop Messmer from committing heinous war crimes, the Tarnished appear to be teaming up against the antagonist, as the trailer ends with an epic shot of them assembling to fight the threat.

SUGGESTED: 5 Games to Play if You Like Elden Ring

The Tarnished channeling their inner Avengers while standing against a gorgeous backdrop of the titular Erdtree is perhaps the most iconic part of the footage, and it could also make a significant impact on the gameplay mechanics.

It’s also interesting to note that while the fanbase may have expected Miquella to be the narrative guide in Shadow of the Erdtree, that might not be the case since she’s being referred to in third-person by the narrator in the trailer.

“Will you walk with us?” the narrator asks the players, and the levels of anticipation have gone through the roof. Until the expansion launches on June 21, all fans can do is prepare themselves for Shadow of the Erdtree because it truly feels like another extraordinary entry in FromSoftware’s portfolio.