How long is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

By Billy Givens June 18, 2024

Shadow of erdtree — Bandai Namco Entertainment

Elden Ring‘s first and only expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, brings a heap of new content to From Software’s highly acclaimed open-world RPG. Not only is there an entirely new map to find and uncover, but players also receive a fresh story, tons of additional weapons and spells to use, and a variety of all-new bosses to take down along the way as they make their way to the end of the journey. It’s quite a lot to explore, so it’s understandable if you’re curious about how long it’ll take to see all of this new content. Your mileage will vary, naturally, but we’ve got estimates below regarding how long it’ll take to beat Shadow of the Erdtree.

How long is Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree?

It goes without saying that, due to the inherent difficulty of Elden Ring, your skill level within the game will play a significant role in the amount of hours you’ll spend completing Shadow of the Erdtree. The average player just seeking to see the main story of this new expansion can expect to spend between 20 to 30 hours reaching its conclusion.

Those looking to take in everything Shadow of the Erdtree has to offer, however, will spend a lot more time with the DLC as they navigate the new map, checking every nook and cranny for new gear, spells, and well-hidden secrets. If that sounds up your alley, you can count on up to 50 hours of exploration and combat in the Land of Shadow.

Shadow of the Erdtree is available June 21 on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series S|X, and PC.

Topics

Gaming Writer

Billy Givens is a freelance writer with over a decade of experience writing gaming, film, and tech content. His work can be…

Gaming

How to find and use the Prayer Room Key in Shadow of the Erdtree

Multiple players look out over a landscape with the Elden Ring co-op mod.

Calling Shadow of the Erdtree a DLC is kind of misleading when you actually enter the Land of Shadow and see just how massive this new region is. The base game was already massive, and this feels like another game about half its size was plopped into the world, with bosses, weapons, dungeons, and secrets all included. Among all the hidden areas and items, the most mysterious include the Prayer Room and the Prayer Room Key. Players may stumble upon one or the other -- most likely neither -- but almost certainly not both without some help. If you're interested in the lore of the game in particular, you will want to see what's hidden behind this very secluded door.

Note: This article contains minor spoilers for bosses and NPCs in Shadow of the Erdtree.
Where to find the Prayer Room Key

Gaming

How to stagger enemies in Elden Ring

A troll fights a player in Elden Ring.

Whether Elden Ring is your first From Software game or you’re an experienced Souls player, you’ve probably learned that some of the game’s systems can be a little…opaque. Staggering is an excellent example: Players know it’s in the game, they can see it work when an enemy drops their shield or gets interrupted, but it isn’t clear what’s going on.

Staggering is a clear advantage in Elden Ring, especially when you are facing a heavily-armored opponent or trying to break a boss’s moveset before it utterly destroys you. While some of the mechanics behind it are still a little fuzzy, we know enough to turn you into a stagger master anyway. Here’s what to do.

Gaming

How to improve battery life on a PS5 controller

Sony PlayStation DualSense Controller appears on a white background.

The PlayStation 5's DualSense controller is a feature-packed input device that can offer some of the most immersive experiences in gaming -- but it's not exactly known for stellar battery life. Luckily, there are a handful of ways in which you can improve your PS5 controller's battery life, and we'll tell you what they are below.
Set controllers to turn off automatically
Everyone needs to take a break from a gaming session sometimes. If you plan to be away from your console for a bit, you don't want the controller to remain on for an extended period of time, as that will eat through your battery unnecessarily. As such, you should head into the PS5's system settings and adjust the power-saving option so your controllers turn off automatically.
Lower the light bar brightness
Every DualSense comes with a light bar around the touchpad, which has a variety of features for letting you know certain things in a game. When multiple profiles are signed in at once, this light bar even displays specific colors to let you know which player is assigned to which controller. However, this always-on light can drain a small amount of power over time, so you'll want to go into the PS5's controller settings and reduce the brightness to improve your battery life.
Turn down the controller speaker
The DualSense offers some unique in-game feedback options via a small microphone on the front of the controller. While this can increase immersion in certain games (or even act as a microphone if you don't have a headset), it can have a minor impact on your battery life. If you're not actively making use of this somewhat niche feature, head into controller settings and turn the volume all the way down to get a little extra play time.

Reduce vibration intensity
There's no denying that the DualSense provides some of the coolest haptic feedback we've ever seen, beautifully matching the feeling in your hands to events happening on screen. But all that vibration drains more power than you'd think. You can reduce this intensity in controller settings, or turn it off altogether if you prefer.
Turn off adaptive triggers
Like the haptic feedback, the DualSense's adaptive triggers are a unique and compelling addition to gaming on a PS5, granting you tension on your triggers for immersive experiences with things like firing guns or pulling large objects in-game. But unsurprisingly, this can also have a slight effect on your battery life, so if you're not terribly interested in this feature, hop into controller settings and turn it off.
Use a wireless headset
Though the DualSense features the option to use a wired headset, anything plugged into this headphone jack is drawing power. If you can possibly do so, use a wireless headset instead to stop that small but noticeable power drain on your controller.