FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki admits “I went a little too far” with Elden Ring’s poison swamps – so in Shadow of the Erdtree he imagined “different ways I want to die”

FromSoftware boss Hidetaka Miyazaki loves a poison swamp. From Dark Souls to Bloodborne, the misery pits rarely cease to delight and frustrate in equal measure. Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s delightful death trap is slightly different, though, as they more directly reflect Miyazaki’s latest learnings about the ideal swamp from stuffing two in the open-world RPG’s base game. 

“In terms of the poisonous swamp, I guess in the original Elden Ring I went a little too far. So I’m trying to take some learnings from that,” Miyazaki tells CNET. “And you can say the version that exists in the DLC, which I’ve already confirmed, applies a lot of those learnings.” While that may sound exciting to many, Miyazaki wants to “curb expectations and reiterate that it exists, but I’ve tailored it.

“In between it existing and not existing, with this version, let’s just say I try to imagine different ways I want to die as a player or be killed. So that expression of myself has been imparted into the poison swamp,” Miyazaki continues, before adding “So, not in the poison swamp itself – that’s been curbed – but in other parts of the gameplay, there are many ways to die.” Terrifying, truly. 

While Miyazaki sounds keen not to give too much away, you won’t be waiting long to experience what he’s talking about in full. The DLC goes live on July 21, and it sounds like a banger. Our Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree review lands on a perfect score, praising all, from the lovely sights to the horrible fights. There’s even mention of the poison swamp, too – though it sounds like a “poison apartment block” might be a better description.

Here’s what to do to prepare for Shadow of the Erdtree, from somebody who’s actually played it.