Sometimes, all a game needs is a shot in the arm in the form of additional content—just look at Cyberpunk 2077‘s miraculous comeback. Granted, FromSoftware’s Elden Ring was already a masterpiece of game design in its own right, but the recent announcement of its long-awaited DLC has given the 2022 release a major resurgence. In what already feels like a huge year for big releases (see Palworld and Helldivers), the simple act of releasing a trailer has shot Elden Ring back into Steam’s top 10 bestseller list.
While Shadow of the Erdtree was undoubtedly going to appeal to the millions of players who have already journeyed into the Lands Between, seeing the announcement pull in so many new players—and into a genre once considered niche, at that—is surprising and heartening.
Helldivers 2 still occupies the top spot on the Steam charts, and that’s not likely to change anytime soon, but Elden Ring has shot back up the list to nestle into number six. According to Bandai Namco, the game has sold over 23 million copies in total, a number that has evidently only grown in the wake of Shadow of the Erdtree’s announcement. Speaking of the expansion, which is currently available for pre-order, it, too, has entered the best-selling list at a comfortable #16.
It’s not hard to see why. That detail-filled behemoth of a trailer has not only given longtime Elden Ring fans plenty to chew on but could have been the nudge that players on the fence needed to finally pull the trigger on their purchase. Messmer looks to be an absolutely mesmerizing villain, no pun intended, and the promise of even more adventure on top of the hundreds of hours Elden Ring already provides is a compelling pitch. If you’re among the thousands venturing into the Land of Shadow this June, be kind to your fellow players—after all, they could be brand-new.
