Summary
After a year of waiting not-so-patiently,Elden Ringfans have finally been given a gameplay trailer for the RPG’s long-awaited Shadows of the Erdtree DLC. Releasing on Jun 30, 2025,Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is set to add a whole new area to the game, which will apparently be roughly the size of Limgrave, along with over 10 new bosses, some of which fans got to see very briefly in the recent trailer.
While the trailer showed off gigantic boomerang-throwing skeletons on horseback, a living tower of fire, and a horrifying humanoid lion wielding lightning powers, it wasElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Messmer the Impalerthat left the most lasting impression on many fans. Draped all in red and accompanied by an absurdly long, winding snake, Messmer the Impaler is peak FromSoftware visual design, and based on the tiny snippet of gameplay fans saw, it seems as though his mechanical design is going to match that same level of quality. But while Messmer proudly sits front and center of Shadow of the Erdtree’s pre-release marketing, he might not end up being the DLC’s final boss, at least not if past FromSoftware games are any indication.
Messmer Might Not Be Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s Final Boss
FromSoftware’s Long History of DLC Misdirections
All the way back in June 2012, FromSoftware released its first trailer forDark Souls' Artorias of the Abyss DLC. Setting the precedent for just about every FromSoftware DLC trailer that came after it, this Artorias of the Abyss DLC trailer begins slowly, before breaking into utter chaos, delivering a fast-paced montage of boss fights. Along with clips ofDark Souls' base game bosses, this trailer also briefly teases some of the then-new DLC bosses, such as Sanctuary Guardian and Kalameet, before ending with a teaser for Artorias himself.
However, FromSoftware decided to keep the DLC’s final boss as a complete surprise, with only Manus' hand being visible in the trailer, grabbing the player and pulling them into the past. This would go on to be a major staple of just about every subsequent FromSoftware DLC. WhileBloodborne’s Old Hunters DLCtrailer is jam-packed with boss fight teases, including Ludwig, Laurence, and a final shot of Lady Maria waiting on her Astral Clocktower throne, it shies away from even teasing the infamous Orphan of Kos.
Dark Souls 3’s own DLC followed this trend as well, or at least half of it did. While Ashes of Ariandel’s first trailer had no problem showing off its only two bosses, The Ringed City’s trailer followed FromSoftware tradition. Neither Darkeater Midir nor theDLC’s final boss, Slave Knight Gaelare showcased in The Ringed City’s trailer, with the trailer instead putting a focus on the Demon Prince, the very first boss of the DLC, acting as a complete misdirect for fans.
Someone Even Scarier Could Be Waiting Behind Messmer
Based on FromSoftware’s now rather lengthy history of DLC misdirects, it seems fairly likely that Messmer the Impaler will not beElden Ring: Shadows of the Erdtree’s final boss. Instead, fans might be in for an even scarier fight. Artorias and Lady Maria were two humanoid bosses teased at the end of their respective DLC trailers, who were followed by a monstrous final boss. It could be the case that Shadows of the Erdtree follows a similar pattern, meaning that there might be some kind of horrifying monster lurking just beyond Messmer’s boss fight.
Elden Ring
WHERE TO PLAY
ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
