June 2015

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Console Update Ushers in a New Era of Dark Fantasy

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Elden Ring, the critically acclaimed action-RPG from FromSoftware, made waves at launch in 2022 and continues to do so in 2025. With the release of the long-awaited expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, console players on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S are now stepping into a vast new region, brimming with lore, lethal enemies, and technical enhancements that bring the haunting world of the Lands Between to new heights.

This isn’t just DLC—it’s a full-fledged update that pushes the boundaries of what console hardware can deliver in a dark fantasy RPG.

A New Realm: The Land of Shadow

Shadow of the Erdtree opens up an entirely new region known as the Land of Shadow—an interconnected, semi-open world area roughly 60% the size of the original map. The transition from the core world to this new zone is seamless, with no loading screens interrupting exploration.

FromSoftware has leaned into more vertical level design and environmental storytelling in this update. For example, players may find themselves descending into fog-covered catacombs with deadly architecture, or scaling decayed divine towers that scrape the clouds.

Console performance in this new region has been a major focus, with both PS5 and Xbox Series X|S running the expansion at 60 FPS in performance mode. Graphics mode prioritizes 4K visuals, with stunning lighting, denser particle effects, and more reactive foliage physics than seen in the base game.

Enhanced Combat Mechanics and New Build Paths

The expansion introduces five new weapon types, all with unique move sets, Ashes of War, and combo potential. Notable additions include:

• Phantom Reapers – dual-bladed sickles that extend with ghostly energy for wide-area crowd control.
• Gravemark Hammers – blunt weapons with rock-shattering impact, ideal for stagger-heavy builds.
• Whispering Bows – long-range weapons that emit cursed whispers, dealing mental and spirit-based damage.

Magic users are treated to 15+ new sorceries and incantations, including gravity wells that trap enemies and soul flames that linger and track targets over time. These new options allow for even more diverse builds, and console players can easily experiment thanks to improved quick-swap menus and character profile saves.

Boss Design and AI Enhancements

As expected, Shadow of the Erdtree introduces some of the most punishing and imaginative bosses in FromSoftware’s history. The AI in this expansion has been noticeably refined to account for player patterns and exploit poor spacing.

Notable bosses like “Vael, Bringer of Soot” and “The Hollow Womb” use arena-specific tactics, multi-stage fights, and environment manipulation. Console players benefit from enhanced loading speeds, meaning retries are swift, and performance dips are almost nonexistent even in high particle-count encounters.

PlayStation 5 Firmware 24.03 Update: What’s New and Why It Matters

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Sony’s PlayStation 5 continues to evolve with regular firmware updates aimed at improving the overall user experience. The most recent system software update, version 24.03, rolled out in April 2025, brings a mix of quality-of-life improvements, UI adjustments, and subtle performance enhancements. While this update may not include groundbreaking new features, it demonstrates Sony’s ongoing commitment to refining its flagship console.

Enhanced Party Chat and Voice Command Integration

One of the key highlights of the 24.03 update is the improvement to party chat functionality. Users can now enjoy clearer audio and better mic noise suppression, which Sony attributes to updates in the AI-driven voice filtering technology. This change is especially noticeable when chatting during intense multiplayer sessions in games like Call of Duty: Warzone or Fortnite.

Additionally, voice command integration has been extended to support more languages and regions. Users can initiate downloads, open games, or control media playback using natural language voice prompts. For example, saying “Hey PlayStation, play Elden Ring” now provides quicker, more responsive feedback and reduces the number of confirmation steps.

Refined Game Library Interface

The Game Library received a much-requested facelift. With the new update, sorting and filtering options are more intuitive, and the interface is generally smoother. Players can now categorize games based on tags like “Multiplayer,” “Recently Played,” “PS Plus Titles,” and even “Hidden Games.” This enhanced customization makes it easier to navigate large libraries—a common scenario for digital game collectors.

Storage Management Upgrades

Sony also made notable improvements to storage management. The PS5 now gives clearer feedback when games are moved between internal storage and external drives. Users are prompted with alerts if a game is incompatible with certain storage locations, and the update provides better breakdowns of what is taking up space, including add-ons and save data.

There’s also a new feature where players can queue storage transfers in advance, which allows multitasking while moving data—a subtle, but helpful productivity boost.

Performance Optimization for Key Titles

This update also includes several background optimizations specifically targeted at popular games. Spider-Man 2 and Final Fantasy VII Rebirth benefit from faster load times and improved texture streaming in certain zones. Though not officially announced in Sony’s patch notes, many users on forums like Reddit and ResetEra report noticeable stability improvements in these games post-update.

Bug Fixes and System Stability

No update would be complete without a range of bug fixes. Sony has resolved several UI glitches, including an issue where the notification panel occasionally froze. The update also patches a rare bug that caused rest mode crashes—an issue that has plagued a small portion of users since the console’s launch. System stability across the board has improved, particularly when running multiple background apps like music streaming or Twitch broadcasting during gameplay.

The Bigger Picture

While some gamers may be disappointed by the absence of flashy new features, the PS5 24.03 update is a testament to Sony’s long-term strategy: incremental, reliable improvements that enhance usability without disrupting the familiar user experience. Each of these tweaks contributes to a more seamless gaming experience and reinforces the idea that the PS5 is not just a piece of hardware but a living ecosystem.

As we look ahead to potential summer announcements, including the rumored PS5 Pro, these kinds of updates set the stage for a more powerful and refined next-gen experience.