Helldivers 2 Developers React to Elden Ring DLC Challenge

Elden Ring's Shadow of the Erdtree DLC: A Difficulty Debate

The release of Elden Ring's highly anticipated expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, sparked a heated online discussion about its difficulty. Many players, both seasoned veterans and newcomers, voiced concerns about the challenging bosses, some even suggesting they were overtuned. Johan Pilestedt, CCO of Arrowhead Game Studios (developers of Helldivers 2), weighed in on FromSoftware's design philosophy.

Pilestedt, also the creative director of Helldivers 2, echoed streamer Rurikhan's view that FromSoftware deliberately creates challenging bosses to foster a sense of accomplishment and test player skill. He emphasized that effective game design prioritizes evoking strong emotional responses, more so than broad appeal. Addressing concerns about alienating a wider audience, Pilestedt famously stated, "a game for everyone is a game for no one," underscoring the importance of focusing on the core target audience.

Developer Insights into Elden Ring's Difficulty

Prior to the DLC's launch, Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki had already cautioned players that Shadow of the Erdtree would present a significant challenge, even for experienced players. He explained that boss balancing assumed players had already made significant progress in the main game and that FromSoftware considered player feedback regarding enjoyable and stressful aspects of the base game's boss encounters when designing the DLC.

The expansion introduced the Scadutree Blessing mechanic, enhancing player damage and reducing incoming damage within the Land of Shadow. Despite this in-game explanation, many players apparently overlooked or disregarded it, prompting Elden Ring publisher Bandai Namco to issue a reminder to utilize and level up this crucial mechanic.

Despite the difficulty concerns, Shadow of the Erdtree holds the highest rating among video game DLCs on OpenCritic, surpassing even The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt's acclaimed Blood and Wine. However, Steam reviews reveal a more mixed reception, with negative feedback citing both the challenging difficulty and reported technical issues.