Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree has arrived with early access right now and will officially debut on June 21. Players are already plumbing its massive, open-world map for mysteries and terrors beyond imagination. So what comes after you defeat the final boss? Are you done, or is there more to explore? Although there are no clear official details in this regard, still there are a lot of activities you can do even if you are done with this latest Elden Ring DLC.
Can You Still Play After the Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Ends?
The good news is, yes, you can keep playing Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree after beating the DLC. Once you take down the final boss, the game will give you the option to load a save from before your climactic clash. It allows you to continue enjoying Land of Shadow side content, roaming and exploring just as freely as you did before the final ending.
This is one of the strongest points in Elden Ring and its DLC. After the main story ends in Shadow of the Erdtree, you can still romp around its open world. From there, you can fast-travel between the DLC area and the original game’s Lands Between at will. In other words, you can jump between cleaning up all post-game content in the Land of Shadow and revisiting The Lands Between to clean up that side.
What To Do Post-DLC
There’s so much to do in Shadow of the Erdtree after you finish the final boss. Here’s a quick rundown of what you might want to tackle:
- Optional Bosses: There are plenty of optional bosses in the DLC, including Golems, NPCs, and a new type of catacomb defender. They are among the hardest encounters in the game, and even experienced players will run into real trouble. They also offer special weapons/equipment that can be taken back to the base game.
- Hidden Dungeons and Catacombs: If you love exploring, there are many hidden dungeons and catacombs you may want to discover and explore. You can find unique items such as weapons and Spirit Ashes in these places. One example of this is the lore-rich Ruined Forge Lava Intake, which provides careful explorers with interesting rewards.
- Item Hunting: There are tons of items strewn around the DLC that you probably missed. Among these items are mighty weapons, armor sets, and other treasures that will grant an extra helping hand in both the DLC and beyond in the base game.
Is there an Impact on the Base Game After Completing Shadow of the Erdtree DLC?
One thing to be aware of is completing the DLC does not substantially change the base game. The world of The Lands Between remains mostly unchanged, except your knowledge of the lore may be deeper from your experiences in the Land of Shadow. This design is conceived in a way that doesn’t interfere much with the main story or any remaining side missions, so you can jump back into those easily. I prefer to think of Shadow of the Erdtree as companion storytelling, a piece that expands your perspective on the game world rather than one that will affect it. So, you should take them as two separate tales with their own amazing content to explore.
There is a Lot in this DLC After the Main Ending
Shadow of the Erdtree has a ton of postgame content that will keep the adventure going long after you’ve encountered the end boss battle. If you’re a collector and only want to discover each hidden secret, or if you’re a fighter looking for the toughest Elden Ring bosses, there’s plenty for you to do. One of the things Elden Ring has always done well is to ensure the player can make their own way through what lies ahead, and Shadow of the Erdtree is no exception. A world without a point of no return – without ever becoming closed off to genuine exploration, real challenge, or authentic discovery – after the credits roll.
