Though it seems strange to say,Elden Ringhas been out for a while now, and fans are anxiously looking forward to a DLC expansion to give them yet another reason to return to The Lands Between. Although there’s been no official word about when or if a DLC will come, many are eyeing February as a potential release month for the highly anticipated expansion.FromSoftware’s latest masterpieceis massive in a lot of different ways. There is incredible diversity in build potential, a ton of different ways players can tackle the game’s main story, six different endings, tons of optional dungeons, and of course, a massive open-world map. Despite all of this, many players are hungry for more.
Neither FromSoftware nor Bandai Namco has made any official announcement regarding a DLC release in February, so this is purely speculation and should be taken as such. Players wanting to know exactly whenElden RingDLC will release will want to stay up to date with theElden RingTwitter account and wait for an official announcement. Until then, there is some merit to the idea that a DLC may be released, or at the very least announced, in February 2023.
RELATED:Hilarious Elden Ring Bug Sees Mohg Stop Attacking To Appreciate The Music
Will Elden Ring Get DLC?
Before speculating on whenElden RingDLC will arrive, it’s important to question whether or not a DLC is on the way in the first place. Technically speaking, Director Hidetaka Miyazaki of FromSoftware has never outright stated that paid story DLC will come toElden Ring, but there’s a lot of good evidence that suggests that it will. For starters,all three iconicDark Soulsgameshad story DLC releases that expanded on the main game.Bloodbornealso had new story content added post-launch, so it definitely happens more often than not.
In addition to all of that,Elden Ringhas already received new content in the form of the free Colosseum update. Though not a true DLC in the traditional sense, this update opened up thecolosseums scattered throughout The Lands Betweenand gave players new ways to test their skills against one another. Perhaps the most convincing evidence of the upcomingElden RingDLC is Miyazaki’s words at The Game Awards after accepting game of the year forElden Ring. To be precise, Miyazaki said, “As forElden Ring, we still have several more things we want to do, and getting this GOTY award really encourages us.”
Elden Ring DLC - Why February?
SoElden RingDLC is very likely to come in the near future, but lacking any concrete evidence, there is reason to believe February could be the month for it. The big driver behind this theory is that February 25th, 2023, will beElden Ring’s one-year anniversary. It may seem hard to believe after how longElden Ringfans waited for news pre-release, but the game will be a year old in just a few short months. There’s not a better way to celebrate an incredible year of hardship, growth, and triumph than with new story content.
Waiting until February also gives players time to enjoy and explore everything added in the new Colosseum update. Players haveentertained themselves withElden RingPVPeven before the Colosseum added new game modes and other ways to fight, so FromSoftware can work on the new DLC while players enjoy this most recent update. Even if the DLC isn’t released in February, it seems likely that players will at the very least hear some kind of announcement that might hint at what to expect.
RELATED:Elden Ring Video Shows What the Game Would look Like as a PS1-Style Title
Elden Ring DLC Story Potential
Whether fans get newElden RingDLC in February or not, there are already many theories about what the DLC might be about. The minimalist storytelling style used in the game leaves a lot of different avenues open for exploration, and there’s always the possibility that DLC will add something completely new to the game as well.Dark SoulsDLC is notorious for subverting fan expectationsand taking players to completely unmentioned areas, so this isn’t that far-fetched.
While there’s plenty of potential, one of the most popular fan theories revolves around the mysterious character known as Miquella, and how this character may play an important role in the DLC. Most fans likely know Miquella from his sister, the infamously difficult boss Malenia.Miquella is a demigod and one of the Empyreans, fated with the ability to rule The Lands Between. Unfortunately for him, he was cursed to remain forever young, so he created the Haligtree as a means of breaking his curse and aging himself (as well as cure his sister). His plan was thwarted when Mohg, Lord of Blood, kidnapped him with the goal of becoming Miquella’s consort. At the time ofElden Ring’s main story, Miquella can be found sleeping in a cocoon in Mohg’s palace.
FromSoftware DLC Trends
The nature ofElden RingDLCremains a mystery, but players can get a little bit of insight about when the DLC will arrive by looking at patterns From Software has displayed with its previous games. The originalDark Souls wasreleased in September 2011, and its DLC “Artorias of the Abyss” released just over a year later in October 2012.Dark Souls 2was released in March 2014, and all three of its DLC came within a year of that (Crown of the Sunken King, July 2014, Crown of the Old Iron King, August 2014, Crown of the Ivory King, September 2014).
Dark Souls 3, the final entry in the series, continues this trend. The base game came out in March 2016, and itsfirst DLC, Ashes of Ariandel, released in October 2016. The final DLC for this title, The Ringed City, was released March 2017, near the game’s one-year anniversary. This doesn’t necessarily mean thatElden Ringwill follow the same trend, but it does seem rather likely. With any luck, players will be exploring new areas in The Lands Between, or even going beyond The Lands Between entirely, sometime in February.
Elden Ringis available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
MORE:Elden Ring Colosseum Update Should Have Added Achievements and Trophies
