Elden Ring players are scared in the recently released Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, but not through a terrifying new enemy or a deadly environmental trap. No, the source of this fear is a simple, squawking bird.
A sparse forest southeast of the original expansion checkpoint on the Gravesite Plain is one of the earliest landmarks you’ll see (and reach) in Shadow of the Erdtree. There you’ll find some of the expansion’s new crafting materials, a difficult human enemy called Logur, the Beast Claw that drops its eponymous weapon when defeated, and a variety of ruined stone structures just begging to be explored.
Some of these landmarks are home to eagle-like birds that do not take kindly to a player’s approach. And while they don’t attack, they do make a terrible cry when disturbed, apparently catching some people off guard. Messages have been spread throughout these areas, warning fellow Tarnished to “listen ahead carefully” and “be wary of noise.” The ghostly emotes associated with the warnings depict brave-looking adventurers assuming the fetal position and raising their hands to the sky in defensive fear.
Similar stories have been shared on social media in the real world.
“The jumps make these birds noisy Elden Ring DLC might be the most insane thing they’ve ever done,” said one player on X (formerly Twitter). “It’s not even an enemy you’re fighting, they’re just part of the local wildlife.”
“Dude, the bird sounds literally make me shit my pants,” said another Redditor.
“Damn jump scare!” said a third. “I got it twice within 20 minutes of starting the DLC. Must get one Elden Ringbrand defibrillator.”
Soulsborne veterans may remember that developer FromSoftware pulled the same trick Dark souls 3‘s Irithyll Dungeon, where picking up certain items would trigger a loud, terrifying scream of an invisible being. The birds aren’t that bad, but there’s an argument that their quiet environment makes for a more effective scare.
It is still far too early for me to have a well-founded opinion about this Shadow of the Erdtreebut at least it’s nice to see FromSoftware continuing to mess with players mercilessly.