Elden Ring’s Hidetaki Miyazaki Can’t Stop Reusing One Aspect of Soulsborne Lore, and Now It’s Made It to Shadow of the Erdtree
With Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree just a few weeks away from release, fans’ excitement to return to one of the greatest games in recent memory is greater than ever. After all, it promises a journey in pursuit of the enigmatic Miquella into the Land of Shadow, giving players a fresh batch of lore and challenges.
However, with all the promotional artwork and trailers shown, there is one tiny detail that the fans cannot get over—something that Hidetaka Miyazaki seems adamant about carrying over from the base game and has its roots in his older titles.
No Matter What, Hidetaka Miyazaki Will Continue to Recycle Assets Across His Games
Since its release, fans of Elden Ring have turned the Lands Between upside down in search of assets and content taken directly from developer From Sofware’s older titles. It’s a tradition that started when the Soulsborne franchise was still in its infancy. In Elden Ring, one such reused asset is the Ghostly Gravestone.
Initially meant for one of the cut areas of Dark Souls 3, God’s Grave—the place where we were to fight Oceiros and perhaps Archdragon Peak’s Mother Dragon—the gravestones were eventually used in the opening area of the Ringed City, helping us block against the army of summoned Archers.
In Elden Ring, keen-eyed players noticed the asset again in the backdrop of our fight against Leonine Misbegotten in Castle Morne. Coming to Shadow of the Erdtree, the gravestones are back again, albeit in a different form and far higher in number than ever before, covering the area known as the Spirit Grave Plains.
For now, the complete full lore implications of these gravestones in the DLC remain to be seen. However, it is fascinating how such a small piece of asset journeyed from a cut content piece in Dark Souls 3 to a now seemingly big part of Elden Ring‘s lore.
What Adventures and Horrors Can We Expect From Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?
Now, Shadow of the Erdtree is expected to be lore-heavy, so much so that it is near-impossible not to be spoiled by all the previews and trailers. Not only will it feature new characters like Messmer and the band of warriors following Miquella, but it may also take players for a deep dive into the mythos surrounding the creation of the erdtree itself.
In addition to the engrossing mystery and narrative, players can also look forward to trying the new weapon types and unique leveling system involving the Scadutree fragments, offering a twist on the base game’s runes-based progression.
Although there are some allegations of content reuse from the base game as well—yes, there will be Dragon bosses in Shadow of the Erdtree, too—it’d be better to assume that the DLC will deliver an overall fresh package to the players.
The expansion will undoubtedly present new perspectives and gameplay experiences distinct from the base game. Whatever the case may be, the DLC will surely solidify Elden Ring‘s status as a groundbreaking action RPG with no equal.
What are your thoughts on From Software’s asset reuse? Let us know in the comments below.
