Fans are running wild with speculation about a potential DLC for Elden Ring, with the big question being where such an expansion would take place. The world map is already very large and doesn't leave a lot of space unexplored, so adding in a whole new area into The Lands Between seems difficult. It's possible that the DLC will let the Tarnished venture beyond The Lands Between, into an area infrequently referred to by NPCs and item descriptions known as the Badlands. Not much is known about this area, but diving deep into the game's hidden lore can shed some light on this deadly place.
It should be said that, at the time of writing, neither FromSoftware nor Bandai Namco Entertainment have made any official statements about the existence of DLC for Elden Ring. This is purely speculation based on the fact that most FromSoftware games in the Soulsborne genre have included story DLCs that introduce new areas, enemies, and bosses. Of all the unexplored areas that have been mentioned in Elden Ring, the Badlands may just be the most fitting setting for the highly anticipated expansion for a number of different reasons.
Elden Ring - What Are The Badlands?
The Badlands are a region outside The Lands Between, and not much is known about it. What little fans do know comes from item descriptions found in the game, usually in relation to Godfrey, the First Elden Lord. Godfrey, previously known as the Warrior Horah Loux, was ultimately slain in the Badlands, and the version that players face off against in Elden Ring's penultimate battle was revived by the same event that caused the player's Tarnished to resurrect.
Godfrey is one of the toughest bosses in all of Elden Ring, especially after he sheds his regent Serosh and embraces his past as Horah Loux. It's terrifying to think then that something out in the Badlands managed to kill him despite his intense power. The Badlands are known for the warriors that roam there, but there's no telling what other kinds of creatures might call the place home. This gives FromSoftware a lot of freedom when it comes to enemy design, and if this place was somehow able to get the better of Godfrey, then the entries there will definitely be fierce.
Why The Badlands is Perfect For Elden Ring DLC
Aside from the fact that the enemies there are likely much stronger than those within The Lands Between, the Badlands also work incredibly well as the setting for a potential DLC thanks to the fact that the region isn't very established. If FromSoftware were to try and set the DLC story in Caelid, the Mountaintop of the Giants, or Siofra River, for example, it would have to work within the constraints of what is already in the game. By contrast, an Elden Ring DLC in the Badlands gives developers complete creative freedom to create new environments, enemies, and bosses.
Looking at the bigger picture, it would also serve to drastically increase the scope of Elden Ring. For a game with a huge scope to begin with, that would be an impressive feat. By setting the DLC outside The Lands Between, it also opens up the possibility for other adventures beyond what players have seen as well. Perhaps following expansions could show players the Land of Reeds, for example. The brief tidbits of information about the Badlands in the item descriptions of the Champion Armor Set are hardly enough to go off of to speculate much further, so players may simply have to wait and see whether the Badlands serves as the setting for future Elden Ring DLC.
Elden Ring is available now on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
