Summary
Elden Ringwas not only 2022’s Game of the Year, but it has also continually proven its worth as it remains a popular pastime for many players. After its release in February 2022, it saw a significant drop-off in its active player base in the two months following it, but it has since managed to maintain a fairly consistent number of concurrent players, only occasionally seeing dips during other big releases. Now, following the official announcement of its upcomingShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion, evenmore players are returning toElden Ringonce again in preparation for its next chapter.
Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree’s release date has officially been set for June 21, leaving players with ample time to prepare, and it is more than likely set to once again conquer the gaming scene. However, despite its potential to make even more waves in the gaming industry,Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtreecomplicates things for other game developers — specifically because of its June release date.
Why Summer 2024 Won’t See Many Big Game Releases
Shadow of the Erdtree Will Be Sturdy Competition for Other Developers
Considering the impact thatShadow of the Erdtreewill undoubtedly have on the market, it would be a bold move for developers to release their biggest games this summer, as they would arguably have a difficult time competing with the expansion. Games that launch alongsidehighly anticipated titleshave historically not performed well, and it often has little to do with their quality or lack thereof. Almost anytime a particular release window is packed with big titles, attention gets spread too thin, negatively impacting their reception as a result. In the case ofShadow of the Erdtree, however, it may end up being enough to bog down the summer 2024 release window all on its own.
This is not to say that this summer won’t see any game releases whatsoever, as there are already several lined up for June. Beyond that, at least until September, things look rather bleak, and this could be attributed to developers attempting to avoidShadow of the Erdtree’s release. On the other hand, it could simply be a coincidence. Regardless, other developers aren’t likely to shift their release dates to this summer, now that FromSoftware has officially confirmedShadow of the Erdtree’s June release date.
This Summer’s Release Lineup Is Already Lacking
Currently, 2024’s summer release lineup is lacking. Apart fromShadow of the Erdtree, the biggest release is perhapsthe highly anticipatedDestiny 2expansion,The Final Shape, which was originally slated for a February 2024 release but was delayed to June 2024. Coming up behind that in popularity could be Paradox Tectonic’sLife by Youand SEGA’sSuper Monkey Ball: Banana Rumble. While the rest of this summer’s releases aren’t unimportant by any means, it’ll still be a rather underwhelming season for video games.
While it’s still possible more developers could schedule their releases for this summer, it’s now highly unlikely considering the shadow thatShadow of the Erdtreewill cast over the market. At the very least,Elden Ring’s DLCwill likely keep players busy throughout the season.
Elden Ring
WHERE TO PLAY
ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
