Shadow of the Erdtree: A Rocky Launch on Steam

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the long-awaited expansion to FromSoftware’s sprawling RPG, has encountered a mixed reception on Steam just days after its June 21, 2024 release. Despite critical acclaim, many players returning to the Lands Between are expressing frustration.

As of this writing, Shadow of the Erdtree sits in the “Mixed” category on Steam, with 62% of roughly 25,000 reviews being positive. A significant portion of the negativity centers around the expansion’s difficulty. While FromSoftware titles are known for their challenge, Shadow of the Erdtree is perceived by players as a significant leap in difficulty compared to the base game. Bosses in particular are being called unfair in numerous reviews.

Performance issues on PC seem to be another major concern. Many players report frame rate drops and frequent stuttering exceeding what they experienced in Elden Ring. Interestingly, filtering reviews to English only paints a different picture. Shadow of the Erdtree’s rating jumps to “Very Positive” with 81% approval from nearly 14,000 reviews. This suggests a potential cultural divide in player reception, though translation of negative Chinese reviews reveals similar complaints about difficulty and PC performance.

https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Coin-Master-kostenlose-drehs-2024-1067307686
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Dice-Dreams-kostenlose-wurfel-2024-1067307607
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Monopoly-GO-kostenlose-wurfel-2024-1067307537
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Royal-Match-unendlich-leben-2024-1067307492
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Brawl-Stars-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067307450
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Brawl-Stars-unendlich-juwelen-2024-1067307397
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Empires-and-Puzzles-kostenlose-diamanten-2024-1067307331
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Lords-Mobile-kostenlose-diamanten-2024-1067307199
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Fishdom-unendlich-diamanten-2024-1067307118
https://www.deviantart.com/adamcdd/journal/Clash-Royale-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067307079
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Clash-of-Clans-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067314805
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Clash-of-Clans-gratis-juwelen-2024-1067314714
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Honkai-Star-Rail-kostenlose-juwelen-hack-2024-1067314594
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Evony-kostenlose-juwelen-hack-deutsch-2024-1067314547
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Rise-of-Kingdoms-kostenlose-juwelen-hack-deutsch-1067314489
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Airport-City-unendlich-geld-hack-deutsch-2024-1067314419
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Match-Masters-kostenlose-Munzen-2024-1067314357
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/RAID-Shadow-Legends-kostenlose-juwelen-hack-1067314324
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Stumble-Guys-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067314270
https://www.deviantart.com/sethgdt/journal/Candy-Crush-Soda-Saga-unendlich-leben-2024-1067314216
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/One-Piece-Bounty-Rush-kostenlose-diamanten-2024-1067319409
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/Dragon-Mania-Legends-kostenlose-juwelen-hack-1067319352
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/1945-Airforce-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067319305
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/Love-Sparks-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067319277
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/ZEPETO-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067319240
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/Zooba-kostenlose-juwelen-2024-1067319169
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/Chapters-kostenlose-diamanten-2024-1067319101
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/Idle-Miner-Tycoon-dinero-infinito-2024-1067318973
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/Hill-Climb-Racing-dinero-y-diamantes-infinitos-1067318931
https://www.deviantart.com/garrydts/journal/Hill-Climb-Racing-2-dinero-y-diamantes-infinitos-1067318886
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/Los-Sims-FreePlay-dinero-infinito-2024-1067405767
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/Car-Parking-dinero-infinito-todo-desbloqueado-2024-1067405739
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/Truck-Simulator-Ultimate-dinero-infinito-2024-1067405711
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/SimCity-BuildIt-dinero-infinito-2024-1067405681
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/Township-dinero-infinito-2024-1067405651
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/EA-SPORTS-FC-Mobile-Futbol-dinero-infinito-2024-1067405616
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/State-of-Survival-dinero-infinito-2024-1067405571
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/Project-Makeover-vidas-infinitas-2024-1067405530
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/F1-Clash-dinero-infinito-2024-1067405489
https://www.deviantart.com/seanbern/journal/eFootball-2024-dinero-infinito-1067405448
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/Mech-Arena-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741717
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/Asphalt-9-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741668
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/NFS-Sin-Limites-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741621
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/CarX-Highway-Racing-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741584
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/CarX-Rally-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741526
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/Assoluto-Racing-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741469
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/8-Ball-Pool-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741450
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/OSM-23-24-dinero-infinito-1067741425
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/CSR-Racing-2-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741398
https://www.deviantart.com/jessejcw/journal/Race-Master-3D-dinero-infinito-2024-1067741359
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/Traffic-Rider-dinero-infinito-2024-1067765617
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/Real-Car-Driving-Race-City-3D-dinero-infinito-1067765595
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/CarX-Street-dinero-infinito-2024-1067765544
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/Avakin-Life-dinero-infinito-2024-1067765483
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/Bus-Simulator-Ultimate-dinero-infinito-2024-1067765447
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/Truckers-of-Europe-3-dinero-infinito-2024-1067764729
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/House-Flipper-dinero-infinito-2024-1067764687
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/Megapolis-dinero-infinito-2024-1067764643
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/Dude-Theft-Wars-dinero-infinito-2024-1067764594
https://www.deviantart.com/codyskr/journal/The-Walking-Zombie-2-dinero-infinito-2024-1067764546
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Drive-Zone-Online-dinero-infinito-2024-1067775639
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Car-Saler-Simulator-Dealership-dinero-infinito-1067775487
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Football-League-2024-dinero-infinito-2024-1067775446
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/School-Party-Craft-dinero-infinito-2024-1067775394
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Top-Drives-dinero-infinito-2024-1067775357
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Airport-City-dinero-infinito-2024-1067775322
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Dice-Dreams-dados-infinitos-2024-1067775284
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Shadow-Fight-2-iOS-hack-2024-free-gold-and-gems-1067775133
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Episode-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-gems-free-1067775046
https://www.deviantart.com/shanekrt/journal/Survivor-io-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-gems-1067774997
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/CarX-Drift-Racing-2-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067939295
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/DOKKAN-BATTLE-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-dragon-stone-1067939251
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/Homescapes-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-stars-and-coins-1067939218
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/AdVenture-Capitalist-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067939193
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/Shadow-Fight-2-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-energy-gems-1067939160
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/Jurassic-World-Alive-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067939117
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/FR-Legends-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067939064
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/Bus-Simulator-Ultimate-iOS-hack-2024-money-gold-1067939034
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/Rent-Please-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067938971
https://www.deviantart.com/russelltrr/journal/Truck-Simulator-Ultimate-iOS-hack-2024-money-1067938955
https://www.deviantart.com/erickolp/journal/MadOut2-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067944794
https://www.deviantart.com/erickolp/journal/Tanks-a-Lot-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-and-gems-1067944772
https://www.deviantart.com/erickolp/journal/Matchington-Mansion-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-stars-1067944732
https://www.deviantart.com/erickolp/journal/True-Skate-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067944708
https://www.deviantart.com/erickolp/journal/Offroad-Outlaws-iOS-hack-2024-unlimited-money-1067944688

It’s worth noting that despite the frustration, many negative reviews still acknowledge positive aspects of Shadow of the Erdtree. World design, new items, and the soundtrack are all receiving praise. While the expansion recommends a high character level, it introduces a separate power scaling mechanic called Shadow Realm Blessings. Unlike the base game’s focus on rune levels, these blessings significantly impact damage dealt and received. Unlike exploring for levels in Elden Ring, finding specific items — Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes — seems to be the key to progression in Shadow of the Erdtree.

Even the expansion’s introductory bosses, the Blackgaol Knight and the Gravesite Plain Furnace Golem, are proving to be formidable challenges. Difficulty has always been a central theme in FromSoftware games, known for their “tough but fair” philosophy. However, Shadow of the Erdtree’s “Mixed” reviews suggest that many players feel this fairness hasn’t translated well from the base game, considered the most approachable Soulsborne title to date. FromSoftware’s legacy of notoriously difficult DLC continues with Shadow of the Erdtree, and only time will tell if players will overcome the new challenges and embrace the expansion.