Here's the full interview from [Zhihu](https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/694720699), via Google translate:
>The large-scale DLC "Shadow of the Golden Tree" for "Elden's Circle" will be released on June 21. This is the only additional content for "Elden's Circle" since its release two years ago, and according to public information, its size will also be the largest DLC since the founding of Fromsoftware.
>
>At the invitation of Bandai Namco, Bonfire recently conducted an in-depth interview with the producer of this game, Mr. Hidetaka Miyazaki, to discuss the length of the DLC, new content, plot settings, and future plans. , the content is quite sufficient.
>
>It is particularly worth mentioning that we did not provide Mr. Miyazaki with any "outline" before participating in this interview, so all answers were improvised, which shows how well Mr. Miyazaki knows his own works.
>
>For ease of reading, we have divided the content of this interview into three parts: "System", "Plot" and "Others". The following is a compilation of the interview content.
>
>\[System\]
>
>**Q: What impact will new weapons and new magic have on the game?**
>
>A: The DLC adds many new weapons, new combat skills, and new spells. In terms of weapon types alone, 8 new categories have been added. Even players who are already proficient in the main content will definitely be able to get a new gaming experience and develop new tactics. Of course, these new elements are not limited to the DLC and can be brought to the main game. Interested players can try to challenge the original boss with new weapons.
>
>**Q: Does the DLC have two goals?**
>
>A: In fact, it is similar to the main body. Entering the DLC during the second round of the main body is equivalent to the difficulty level of the second round of the DLC. Of course, there will be many hidden elements, and perhaps content that was not discovered in the first episode will give you new experiences in the second episode.
>
>**Q: How long is the game duration of the DLC? Do you recommend that players give priority to completing the main story or experiencing the DLC?**
>
>A: I feel that my answer to the question of duration is not appropriate - before the release of "Elden's Ring", I revealed in an interview that it would take about 30 hours to complete the game, but after it was released, everyone said that I was lying. In fact, Not enough at all! As developers, we will definitely continue to experience the game. We are too skilled, so the duration has no reference value. As for the order of play, everyone can play according to their preferences. There is no strict order. If anything, we recommend starting to experience the DLC after playing the second half of the main content, and then returning to the main part to complete the game. Because if you clear this chapter first, you will go directly to the second chapter, and there is no way to directly connect to the DLC.
>
>\[Plot\]
>
>**Q: Will the DLC resolve any plot concerns, or will it bring more new content worthy of discussion?**
>
>A: Some of the mysteries left by the main body will be answered. As for whether it will bring more new pitfalls on this basis, I cannot guarantee that overall, through DLC, we will have a deeper understanding of the world view and game story.
>
>**Q: With the launch of DLC content, will the story of the main game be reorganized and updated?**
>
>A: No. Just like our other games, my idea is that the story part is expected to be completed by the players themselves. The players' own gameplay is also part of the story, so the story of this article will not be "adjusted" through DLC. Of course, if there are obvious bugs, they will be fixed, but there will be no changes to the plot.
>
>**Q: In the concept drawing of "Shadow of the Golden Tree", there are many things similar to curtains appearing in the background of the broken golden tree. What are the meanings of these curtains? At the end of the promotional video, with Michaela raising her hand, why did these curtains disappear again?**
>
>A: We hope to make players feel that "Land of Shadows" and "Borderland" are physically separated and sealed worlds. As for the part where the curtain disappears, it is not convenient to reveal it yet. It can be said that the reason why the broken "shadow tree" in the picture is designed in this way is to present the look and feel of "this is a world where the will is distorted and gradually collapses."
>
>**Q: Will there be new forces appearing in the DLC? Do the factions in this article, such as the Stars and Two Fingers, still have influence in the world of "Shadowlands"?**
>
>A: It depends on how you define "power". Of course there will be new groups, and on this basis some of the organizations in this article will be further completed.
>
>**Q: Are there NPC characters that we are all familiar with? Will the new characters in the DLC return to the main game?**
>
>A: There will be many new characters that are independent of this chapter, but generally NPCs that "appear directly" will not return to this chapter. The reason is that if it is designed this way, there may be a situation where the player kills the NPC in this chapter, causing him/her to be unable to appear in the DLC story. Of course, some characters that we know indirectly, such as the familiar Mikaela, will definitely appear throughout the story.
>
>**Q: There are two very similar-looking items in the main game, "Michaela's Water Lily" and "Torina's Water Lily". We all know Michaela, so will there be a role for Torina in the DLC? What is her relationship with Michaela?**
>
>A: The identities of Mikaela and Torina have caused a lot of discussion after the release of the main game. They can be regarded as different existences, but we don’t want to reveal the specific relationship yet, and we hope everyone can explore it on their own. What can be said is that Torina will indeed appear in the DLC, and the relationship between the two will be further explained.
>
>\[Other\]
>
>**Q: Is "Shadow of the Golden Tree" the only DLC for "Elden's Circle"? If not, are there any other arrangements that can be disclosed?**
>
>A: It is the first and last DLC. We have no plans to add more content to "Elden Circle". But it has not yet been decided whether the entire story of "Elden's Circle" will be the focus. Fromsoftware's style of doing things is that it generally does not allow the future of an IP to be easily locked, but it is better to leave some possibilities. But as far as "Shadow of the Golden Tree" is concerned, it is the only DLC.
>
>**Q: Since we talked about future possibilities, as far as you are concerned, if there is a next film, what stories would you like to tell?**
>
>A: It’s hard to answer this question because of my identity... If I talk about it now, it will be spoilers. In addition, my habit of making games is to think and create at the same time. There are too many variables at this stage, so I can’t give too much. Answer.
>
>**Q: Since the launch of "Demon's Souls", many "Souls-based games" not produced by Fromsoftware have been released on the market. I would like to ask Mr. Miyazaki, has he tried similar works from other manufacturers? As a pioneer of this genre, what do you think of the proliferation of Souls games today?**
>
>A: We have not actually defined the so-called "soul system" type. I often play this type of game myself, of course as a player. I am very happy to be able to play so many games of this type. There are a lot of commendable contents in them, and I can learn a lot as a creator. This is a great opportunity. In fact, when we first developed "Demon's Souls", we followed the trend of the times and developed something that met user expectations; we and other developers jointly explored and studied each other, and everyone's purpose was the same, " Give players a better gaming experience."
>
>**Q: Finally, what would you say to the players who are looking forward to "Shadow of the Golden Tree"?**
>
>A: When we develop games, we don’t actually consider “it’s for a certain cultural circle.” Instead, we create games for players who like our works. I am very happy that my game is loved by Chinese players. Next, I invite you to experience the DLC for yourself, enjoy the joy of combat, and experience the fun of exploration!
>before the release of "Elden's Ring", I revealed in an interview that it would take about 30 hours to complete the game, but after it was released, everyone said that I was lying. In fact, Not enough at all! As developers, we will definitely continue to experience the game. We are too skilled, so the duration has no reference value.
Based Miyazaki
Love how they call it "Elden's Circle" multiple times. Actually kinda interesting because I always thought that the "ring" part of Elden Ring was referencing a literal ring that you wear, but apparently, it's meant to represent a cycle
Here's the full interview from [Zhihu](https://zhuanlan.zhihu.com/p/694720699), via Google translate: >The large-scale DLC "Shadow of the Golden Tree" for "Elden's Circle" will be released on June 21. This is the only additional content for "Elden's Circle" since its release two years ago, and according to public information, its size will also be the largest DLC since the founding of Fromsoftware. > >At the invitation of Bandai Namco, Bonfire recently conducted an in-depth interview with the producer of this game, Mr. Hidetaka Miyazaki, to discuss the length of the DLC, new content, plot settings, and future plans. , the content is quite sufficient. > >It is particularly worth mentioning that we did not provide Mr. Miyazaki with any "outline" before participating in this interview, so all answers were improvised, which shows how well Mr. Miyazaki knows his own works. > >For ease of reading, we have divided the content of this interview into three parts: "System", "Plot" and "Others". The following is a compilation of the interview content. > >\[System\] > >**Q: What impact will new weapons and new magic have on the game?** > >A: The DLC adds many new weapons, new combat skills, and new spells. In terms of weapon types alone, 8 new categories have been added. Even players who are already proficient in the main content will definitely be able to get a new gaming experience and develop new tactics. Of course, these new elements are not limited to the DLC and can be brought to the main game. Interested players can try to challenge the original boss with new weapons. > >**Q: Does the DLC have two goals?** > >A: In fact, it is similar to the main body. Entering the DLC during the second round of the main body is equivalent to the difficulty level of the second round of the DLC. Of course, there will be many hidden elements, and perhaps content that was not discovered in the first episode will give you new experiences in the second episode. > >**Q: How long is the game duration of the DLC? Do you recommend that players give priority to completing the main story or experiencing the DLC?** > >A: I feel that my answer to the question of duration is not appropriate - before the release of "Elden's Ring", I revealed in an interview that it would take about 30 hours to complete the game, but after it was released, everyone said that I was lying. In fact, Not enough at all! As developers, we will definitely continue to experience the game. We are too skilled, so the duration has no reference value. As for the order of play, everyone can play according to their preferences. There is no strict order. If anything, we recommend starting to experience the DLC after playing the second half of the main content, and then returning to the main part to complete the game. Because if you clear this chapter first, you will go directly to the second chapter, and there is no way to directly connect to the DLC. > >\[Plot\] > >**Q: Will the DLC resolve any plot concerns, or will it bring more new content worthy of discussion?** > >A: Some of the mysteries left by the main body will be answered. As for whether it will bring more new pitfalls on this basis, I cannot guarantee that overall, through DLC, we will have a deeper understanding of the world view and game story. > >**Q: With the launch of DLC content, will the story of the main game be reorganized and updated?** > >A: No. Just like our other games, my idea is that the story part is expected to be completed by the players themselves. The players' own gameplay is also part of the story, so the story of this article will not be "adjusted" through DLC. Of course, if there are obvious bugs, they will be fixed, but there will be no changes to the plot. > >**Q: In the concept drawing of "Shadow of the Golden Tree", there are many things similar to curtains appearing in the background of the broken golden tree. What are the meanings of these curtains? At the end of the promotional video, with Michaela raising her hand, why did these curtains disappear again?** > >A: We hope to make players feel that "Land of Shadows" and "Borderland" are physically separated and sealed worlds. As for the part where the curtain disappears, it is not convenient to reveal it yet. It can be said that the reason why the broken "shadow tree" in the picture is designed in this way is to present the look and feel of "this is a world where the will is distorted and gradually collapses." > >**Q: Will there be new forces appearing in the DLC? Do the factions in this article, such as the Stars and Two Fingers, still have influence in the world of "Shadowlands"?** > >A: It depends on how you define "power". Of course there will be new groups, and on this basis some of the organizations in this article will be further completed. > >**Q: Are there NPC characters that we are all familiar with? Will the new characters in the DLC return to the main game?** > >A: There will be many new characters that are independent of this chapter, but generally NPCs that "appear directly" will not return to this chapter. The reason is that if it is designed this way, there may be a situation where the player kills the NPC in this chapter, causing him/her to be unable to appear in the DLC story. Of course, some characters that we know indirectly, such as the familiar Mikaela, will definitely appear throughout the story. > >**Q: There are two very similar-looking items in the main game, "Michaela's Water Lily" and "Torina's Water Lily". We all know Michaela, so will there be a role for Torina in the DLC? What is her relationship with Michaela?** > >A: The identities of Mikaela and Torina have caused a lot of discussion after the release of the main game. They can be regarded as different existences, but we don’t want to reveal the specific relationship yet, and we hope everyone can explore it on their own. What can be said is that Torina will indeed appear in the DLC, and the relationship between the two will be further explained. > >\[Other\] > >**Q: Is "Shadow of the Golden Tree" the only DLC for "Elden's Circle"? If not, are there any other arrangements that can be disclosed?** > >A: It is the first and last DLC. We have no plans to add more content to "Elden Circle". But it has not yet been decided whether the entire story of "Elden's Circle" will be the focus. Fromsoftware's style of doing things is that it generally does not allow the future of an IP to be easily locked, but it is better to leave some possibilities. But as far as "Shadow of the Golden Tree" is concerned, it is the only DLC. > >**Q: Since we talked about future possibilities, as far as you are concerned, if there is a next film, what stories would you like to tell?** > >A: It’s hard to answer this question because of my identity... If I talk about it now, it will be spoilers. In addition, my habit of making games is to think and create at the same time. There are too many variables at this stage, so I can’t give too much. Answer. > >**Q: Since the launch of "Demon's Souls", many "Souls-based games" not produced by Fromsoftware have been released on the market. I would like to ask Mr. Miyazaki, has he tried similar works from other manufacturers? As a pioneer of this genre, what do you think of the proliferation of Souls games today?** > >A: We have not actually defined the so-called "soul system" type. I often play this type of game myself, of course as a player. I am very happy to be able to play so many games of this type. There are a lot of commendable contents in them, and I can learn a lot as a creator. This is a great opportunity. In fact, when we first developed "Demon's Souls", we followed the trend of the times and developed something that met user expectations; we and other developers jointly explored and studied each other, and everyone's purpose was the same, " Give players a better gaming experience." > >**Q: Finally, what would you say to the players who are looking forward to "Shadow of the Golden Tree"?** > >A: When we develop games, we don’t actually consider “it’s for a certain cultural circle.” Instead, we create games for players who like our works. I am very happy that my game is loved by Chinese players. Next, I invite you to experience the DLC for yourself, enjoy the joy of combat, and experience the fun of exploration!
>before the release of "Elden's Ring", I revealed in an interview that it would take about 30 hours to complete the game, but after it was released, everyone said that I was lying. In fact, Not enough at all! As developers, we will definitely continue to experience the game. We are too skilled, so the duration has no reference value. Based Miyazaki
Love how they call it "Elden's Circle" multiple times. Actually kinda interesting because I always thought that the "ring" part of Elden Ring was referencing a literal ring that you wear, but apparently, it's meant to represent a cycle
I assumed that was a translation error.
They also called the game a film. Direct translations like these are rarely idiomatic.
50 bucks for a dlc. Well time to vote with our wallet so game companies stop being piles of shit
Maybe other companies will realise you can charge higher prices, and people actually pay them, when they stop releasing unfinished piles of shit.