The release of the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC for Shadow of the Elden Ring has sparked controversy due to its extreme difficulty. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki warned players about the challenging boss encounters and threats in the expansion, targeting experienced players. Steam user reviews are currently mixed, with complaints about the tough bosses and PC performance issues. Some players find the enemies' damage overtuned and bosses' movesets erratic, making the experience painful. Bandai Namco has advised players to level up their Scadutree Blessing to cope with the difficulty. Despite the negative feedback, Shadow of the Erdtree has received critical acclaim, becoming the highest-rated video game expansion on Metacritic. Miyazaki explains that maintaining high difficulty levels is essential for player satisfaction and sense of achievement. The debate over the DLC's difficulty has also led to a newfound appreciation for the base game's bosses.