Shadow of the Erdtree Accessibility: A Missed Opportunity for PC Gamers?

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is here, beckoning players back to the Lands Between with the promise of new challenges, formidable bosses, and a richer lore experience. As a sprawling, open-world action RPG, Elden Ring captivated millions. However, the original PC release garnered criticism for its limited accessibility features. With the arrival of this highly anticipated DLC, the question arises: has FromSoftware addressed these concerns and made Shadow of the Erdtree a more inclusive experience for all PC gamers? The answer, unfortunately, appears to be a resounding "not enough."

The key art for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, depicting the mysterious new land players will explore. The visual richness of the DLC makes accessibility options even more crucial.

The Current State: Barely a Step Forward

Examining the accessibility options within Shadow of the Erdtree reveals a landscape largely unchanged from the base game. While the core gameplay loop remains compelling, the lack of meaningful accessibility improvements for PC is a significant disappointment.

Remappable Controls: A Stubborn Omission

The inability to fully remap controls remains a glaring issue. Players are still restricted to pre-defined control schemes with limited customization. This poses a significant barrier for individuals with motor impairments or those who require specific input configurations for comfortable and effective gameplay. The original Elden Ring PC release was heavily criticized for this, and it’s disheartening to see the issue persist in the DLC.

A typical Elden Ring PC control settings menu. The absence of full remapping capabilities is a major obstacle for players with specific accessibility needs.

Colorblind Modes: A Limited Palette

The colorblind modes in Shadow of the Erdtree offer minimal adjustments. While some options exist, they are not comprehensive enough to address the diverse needs of players with various forms of colorblindness. Critical visual cues within the game world might still be difficult to distinguish, hindering exploration and combat effectiveness. Many players have reported these colorblind modes being ineffective, or even making the game harder to see.

A look at the colorblind mode options in Shadow of the Erdtree, highlighting the limited level of customization offered to players with visual impairments.

UI Customization: Barely There

Options for customizing UI elements such as size, contrast, and placement remain severely limited. Players who struggle with visual clarity or who prefer a more personalized UI layout will find themselves largely out of luck. Important information can be easily missed due to the lack of adjustable UI scaling, frustrating many. This is especially problematic given the DLC’s intricate environments and fast-paced combat.

Difficulty Scaling and Assistance: Staying True to the Core, But at What Cost?

Shadow of the Erdtree does not introduce any adjustable difficulty scaling or assistance modes beyond the mechanics found in the base game. While the inherent challenge is a core aspect of the Elden Ring experience, the lack of options for players who struggle with the game's difficulty is a missed opportunity. Summoning remains an option, but this is not a substitute for proper difficulty scaling that could allow more players to engage with the game on their own terms.

Community Reaction: Frustration and Disappointment

The PC gaming community has expressed its disappointment with the lack of accessibility improvements in Shadow of the Erdtree. Forums and subreddits like r/GamesAccessibility and r/Eldenring are filled with posts from players lamenting the persistent issues.

One user on r/GamesAccessibility wrote, "I was really hoping they would add remappable controls in the DLC. My disability makes it impossible to play with the default layout, and I'm so bummed that I'm going to miss out on the new content."

Another player on r/Eldenring commented, "The colorblind modes are a joke. I can barely tell the difference, and it actually makes some areas harder to see. Why can't they just give us proper customization options?"

These sentiments reflect a widespread frustration among PC gamers who feel excluded by the lack of attention to accessibility in Shadow of the Erdtree.

Comparison: The Last of Us Part I Sets a New Standard

The contrast between Shadow of the Erdtree's accessibility options and those found in The Last of Us Part I on PC is stark. The Last of Us Part I offers a comprehensive suite of accessibility features, including:

• Fully Remappable Controls: Players can customize every single input to their liking, providing unparalleled flexibility.

The Last of Us Part I’s comprehensive control mapping screen, showcasing the level of customization that Shadow of the Erdtree lacks.

• Extensive Colorblind Options: The Last of Us Part I provides a wide range of colorblind presets and customization options, allowing players to fine-tune the visuals to their specific needs.

A sample of the detailed colorblind settings available in The Last of Us Part I.

• Comprehensive UI Scaling: Players can adjust the size, contrast, and placement of all UI elements, ensuring optimal visibility and readability.

The UI customization settings of The Last of Us Part I, giving players granular control over how information is displayed.

• Adjustable Difficulty Settings: The Last of Us Part I offers a range of difficulty options, allowing players to tailor the challenge to their skill level and preferences.

Difficulty options allow for wider audience engagement in The Last of Us Part I.

The level of granular control and customization in The Last of Us Part I highlights the significant gap in accessibility between these two AAA titles on PC.

Impact: Excluding Players and Limiting Potential

The lack of accessibility options in Shadow of the Erdtree has a direct and negative impact on players with disabilities or accessibility needs.

• Motor Impairments: The inability to remap controls makes the game virtually unplayable for individuals with limited hand dexterity or those who require specialized input devices.

An adaptive controller setup enabling accessible gaming.

• Colorblindness: The limited colorblind modes can hinder players' ability to navigate environments, identify enemies, and react to visual cues, negatively impacting their combat effectiveness. The Twinblade Talisman in Shadow of the Erdtree, for example, is visually distinct but may be hard to identify for colorblind players.
• Visual Impairments: The lack of UI customization can make it difficult for players with low vision to read text, track health bars, and access important information, reducing their overall enjoyment and performance.

The struggle of gaming with low vision is significantly increased by lacking UI Customization.

These limitations effectively exclude a significant portion of the PC gaming community from fully experiencing Shadow of the Erdtree.

Conclusion: A Disappointing Omission

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree is undoubtedly a compelling addition to the Elden Ring universe. However, the lack of meaningful accessibility improvements on PC is a significant letdown. While the core gameplay loop remains engaging, the persistent absence of features like remappable controls, comprehensive colorblind modes, and customizable UI options represents a missed opportunity to make the game more inclusive and accessible to all players.

The accessibility icon is a simple visual cue that developers have implemented accessibility settings within their video game.

In an industry where accessibility is increasingly recognized as a crucial aspect of game development, FromSoftware's reluctance to address these issues in Shadow of the Erdtree is both disappointing and concerning. Can we truly celebrate a game's artistic and mechanical achievements when a significant portion of the community is unable to fully experience it? Perhaps it's time for FromSoftware to prioritize accessibility in future updates and releases, ensuring that the Lands Between are truly open to everyone.