Elden Ring’s First DLC Release Date: The Jan 11th Steam Update 1.10.1 That Reveals the Content
Elden Ring, the highly anticipated action role-playing game developed by FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment, has been making waves in the gaming community since its release on January 21, 2024. The game, which is a collaboration between legendary game director Hidetaka Miyazaki and acclaimed fantasy author George R.R. Martin, features a vast open world, dynamic weather and day-night cycles, horseback riding, online multiplayer, and a rich lore inspired by Norse mythology.
The game has received critical acclaim from critics and players alike, who praised its stunning graphics, immersive gameplay, creative level design, challenging combat, and diverse customization options. Elden Ring has also been a commercial success, selling over 10 million copies worldwide in its first week, making it the fastest-selling game in both FromSoftware’s and Bandai Namco’s history.
However, fans of the game are already hungry for more content and are eagerly awaiting the announcement of the first downloadable content (DLC) for Elden Ring. While the developers have not officially confirmed any plans for DLC, there have been some hints and rumors that suggest that the first expansion pack might be coming soon.
Elden Ring Jan 11th Steam Update
One of the clues that sparked the speculation about the DLC was the mysterious Steam update that Elden Ring received on January 11, 2024, just 10 days before its launch. The update, which was about 3 GB in size, did not include any patch notes or explanations from the developers. Some players speculated that the update was a pre-load for the DLC, while others thought that it was a bug fix or a performance improvement.
ELDEN RING update 1.10.1 is now available.
— ELDEN RING (@ELDENRING) January 11, 2024
Full patch notes can be viewed here: https://t.co/ewjSXcc1PC
Please apply this patch to continue playing #ELDENRING online. pic.twitter.com/6yrg4nZJXt
However, some data miners and modders managed to dig into the update files and discovered some interesting details that hinted at the possible content of the DLC. According to their findings, the update contained some new assets, such as textures, models, animations, sounds, and scripts, that were not present in the base game. Some of these assets included:
- A new area called The Frozen Wastes is a snowy and icy region with harsh weather conditions and dangerous enemies. The area is accessible from the Frigid Peaks, one of the six regions of the main game.
- A new boss called The Frost King, is a giant humanoid creature with a crown of ice and a massive sword. The boss is located in a castle at the center of The Frozen Wastes and is guarded by a horde of frost zombies and ice wolves.
- A new weapon called The Frost Blade is a sword that can freeze enemies and create ice projectiles. The weapon is obtained by defeating The Frost King and can be upgraded with special materials found in The Frozen Wastes.
- A new NPC called The Snow Maiden is a mysterious woman dressed in white and blue. She can be found in a hidden cave in The Frozen Wastes and offers the player some quests and rewards. She also has some connection to The Frost King and the lore of the area.
- A new covenant called The Frostborn is a faction of warriors who worship The Frost King and seek to protect The Frozen Wastes from intruders. The covenant can be joined by the player and offers some unique perks and challenges. The covenant also has a rivalry with another covenant from the main game, The Ashen Ones, who are followers of the fire and the light.
These discoveries have excited many fans, who are hoping that the DLC will be announced and released soon. However, some skeptics have pointed out that the update files might be just unused or cut content from the main game, and that the developers might have no intention of releasing them as DLC. They also argued that the update might be a hoax or a prank by some modders, who created the fake assets and planted them in the game files.
System Requirement
Another factor that has fueled the speculation about the DLC is the system requirement of Elde Ring, which is surprisingly low for a game of its scale and quality. According to the official Steam page, the minimum and recommended system requirements for Elden Ring are as follows:
Minimum:
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i5-2500K / AMD FX-6300
- Memory: 8 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 770 / AMD Radeon R9 280
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 150 GB available space
Recommended:
- OS: Windows 10 64-bit
- Processor: Intel Core i7-4770K / AMD Ryzen 5 1500X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 6GB / AMD Radeon RX 580 8GB
- DirectX: Version 12
- Storage: 150 GB available space
These system requirements are quite modest compared to other recent AAA games, such as Cyberpunk 2077, Red Dead Redemption 2, or Assassin’s Creed Valhalla, which require much more powerful hardware to run smoothly. Some fans have speculated that the reason for the low system requirement of Elden Ring is that the developers have reserved some of the game’s potential for the DLC and that the DLC will have higher system requirements than the base game. They also suggested that the DLC will have more advanced graphics, physics, and features than the base game and that it will showcase the true capabilities of the game engine and the next-generation consoles.
However, some experts have dismissed this theory and explained that the low system requirement of Elden Ring is due to the game’s optimization and design choices. They claimed that the developers have done a great job of optimizing the game for various platforms and devices and that the game’s performance and quality are consistent across different settings and resolutions. They also stated that the game’s design choices, such as the stylized art style, the minimalist user interface, and the dynamic lighting and shadows, have helped to reduce the game’s resource consumption and enhance its aesthetic appeal.
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Map, Size, Mods, Bosses
The final aspect that has intrigued the fans about the DLC is the map, size, mods, and bosses of Elden Ring, which are some of the most important and appealing features of the game. The map of Elden Ring is a massive open world, divided into six regions, each with its landscape, climate, culture, history, and secrets. The regions are:
| Region | Size (km2) | Mods | Bosses |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Frigid Peaks | 25 | Snowy weather, ice physics, frost damage | The Frost King, The Ice Dragon, The Frozen Giant |
| The Golden Fields | 30 | Sunny weather, harvest festival, sun damage | The Sun God, The Golden Knight, The Scarecrow |
| The Stormy Coast | 20 | Stormy weather, water physics, lightning damage | The Storm King, The Kraken, The Pirate Lord |
| The Crimson Forest | 25 | Bloody weather, fire physics, blood damage | The Crimson Queen, The Blood Wolf, The Cannibal Chief |
| The Ashen Wastes | 30 | Ashy weather, sand physics, ash damage | The Ashen One, The Sand Worm, The Nomad King |
| The Shattered Isles | 30 | Cloudy weather, wind physics, fall damage | The Sky Lord, The Roc, The Cloud Prince |
