LEAK: Shadow of the Erdtree Release Accidentally Leaked by Controller Colab

Back in February, Elden Ring’s “Shadow of the Erdtree” DLC was announced with a single image. Since then, we’ve been eagerly awaiting news of a release date, but none have come — until today, when an accident seems to have revealed a February release date. Thrustmaster, a maker of gaming peripherals like wheels, joysticks, and gamepads, published a page announcing a collaboration with Elden Ring to release a new Elden-Ring-themed Xbox controller (that we think looks pretty snazzy in the mock-up).

The page, which was filled with placeholder text like “DESIGN AGREED FOR SAMPLE SUBMISSION BY BANDAI NAMCO”, indicated in some of that text that the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion would release on Elden Ring’s Anniversary, which would indicate that Shadow of the Erdtree is likely to release on February 25, 2023, exactly 2 years after Elden Ring’s release.

The page was pulled down very quickly, but not before screenshots were taken, essentially proving its existence. The high-quality mock-ups also indicate that this leak was real, providing even more proof of a February release date for the much-anticipated, shockingly-undermarketed DLC. In addition, other controller mock-ups on the page for Malenia- and Ranni-themed controllers (which also look great) indicate that those controllers will be “SYNCHRONIZED WITH 2025 ELDEN RING MAJOR KEYBEAT OR NEW GAME EXPANSION,” indicating that even more Elden Ring content after Shadow of the Erdtree might be in the works all the way out in 2025.

These leaks come only a week after Elden Ring fans were left disappointed at The Game Awards, where many (including us) expected a trailer for the upcoming DLC after many months of silence, and indicate that the actual announcement for Shadow of the Erdtree’s release is imminent. Maybe they heard our plea? Either way, if controller colabs are preparing release statements, expect more Shadow of the Erdtree news very soon!