As a dedicated Tarnished who has traversed every corner of The Lands Between, I can't help but reflect on the legacy of this magnificent world. FromSoftware's masterpiece, Elden Ring, has captivated millions, with its base game and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion achieving phenomenal sales success. While the studio has confirmed no further DLC is planned, the sheer scale and acclaim of this universe make the prospect of a future installment almost inevitable. The question that lingers in my mind is not if we will return, but how. Drawing inspiration from the studio's own history, particularly the transformative journey of the Dark Souls trilogy, presents a compelling blueprint for how we might experience The Lands Between anew.
Learning from Lordran's Transformation
My journey through FromSoftware's worlds began in Lordran, a labyrinthine realm that felt both monumental and intimately personal. The decision to revisit this iconic setting in Dark Souls 3 was a masterstroke. While the game introduced the new kingdom of Lothric, it cleverly wove in the remnants of the past, creating a powerful narrative of decay and continuity. This approach wasn't about simple nostalgia; it was about showing the consequences of time.
Key locations served as anchors connecting the eras:
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The Original Firelink Shrine: Discovering its sunken, forgotten form deep within the Ringed City was a profound moment. It visually screamed that ages had passed, burying the old world beneath the new.
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Anor Londo: Once a gleaming city of the gods, its return in Dark Souls 3 was haunting. The ruined spires and corrupted halls told a silent, eloquent story of decline far more effectively than any exposition ever could.
This method of environmental storytelling is FromSoftware's signature, and applying it to The Lands Between could yield spectacular results. To abandon such a richly crafted open world after a single use feels almost unthinkable.
A Sequel: Witnessing The Lands Between's Future Decay
If a follow-up were to move forward in time, the potential for a devastated, yet familiar, landscape is immense. Imagine wandering a version of The Lands Between centuries or millennia after the events of our journey. The visual and narrative possibilities are staggering:
| Iconic Location | Potential Future State |
|---|---|
| Leyndell, Royal Capital | Could be partially swallowed by the Erdtree's roots or flooded by a changed sea, its golden spires now verdigris-encrusted ruins. 🏛️→🌳 |
| The Academy of Raya Lucaria | Might have fully crystallized, a beautiful but deadly prison of magic, or collapsed into the great lake below. |
| Caelid | Perhaps the Scarlet Rot has receded, leaving a barren, petrified wasteland dotted with the fossilized remains of creatures. |
| The Haligtree | Could have completely rotted from within, a colossal, hollowed-out husk serving as a new dungeon. |
This approach would allow us to see the long-term results of the Shattering, our character's choices, and the natural (or unnatural) progression of the world's cycles. It would be a somber, beautiful exploration of entropy.
A Prequel: Beholding The Lands Between in Its Prime 🔙
However, the flow of time is not a one-way street. An equally, if not more, tantalizing prospect is a journey into the past. Instead of showing decay, a prequel could show us splendor. This would be an opportunity to experience the lore we've only read about in item descriptions or heard from melancholic NPCs.
Envision walking through:
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Leyndell at the Zenith of the Golden Order: The city wouldn't just be intact; it would be alive. Streets bustling with loyal subjects, the Erdtree shining with uncontested radiance, and the air free of Fell God ash. We could witness the culture and power that Marika built.
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The Eternal Cities in Their Glory: Nokron and Nokstella, not as silent, ghost-filled ruins, but as thriving metropolises of the Nox. We could see their advanced civilization, their reverence for the stars, and the events that led to their downfall.
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Elphael, Brace of the Haligtree, Uncorrupted: Before Malenia's bloom and the scourge of Scarlet Rot, this was Miquella's promise of a safe haven. Seeing it as a place of true hope and refuge would make its eventual fate even more tragic.
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Farum Azula, Whole and Sovereign: The dragon temple, not as a crumbling archipelago in a storm, but as a majestic, floating seat of power for the ancient dragonlord.
This direction would allow FromSoftware to deepen the world's mythology exponentially. We could participate in, or at least witness, pivotal historical events: the wars against the giants, the establishment of the Golden Order, or the night of the Black Knives. It would provide context that enriches every subsequent playthrough of the original game.
My Vision for the Journey Forward
Having poured hundreds of hours into this world, my desire is for a return that feels both respectful and revolutionary. Whether looking forward to a bleak future or backward to a gilded past, the core appeal lies in recontextualizing the familiar. The genius of the Dark Souls 3 model was that it made the old world new again through the lens of time's passage.
For The Lands Between, a prequel feels particularly resonant. The original game is already a journey through a world long past its peak, filled with echoes of greatness. To actually step into that peak, to see the vibrant cultures and colossal conflicts that shaped the broken realm we know, would be a narrative fulfillment of the highest order. It would transform our understanding of every ruin, every legacy dungeon, and every spectral boss we've already faced.
Ultimately, FromSoftware has proven itself a master of weaving time into the very fabric of its worlds. Whether the next chapter is a sequel, a prequel, or something entirely more esoteric, I have faith that a return to The Lands Between will be handled with the same meticulous care, profound environmental storytelling, and uncompromising vision that made the original journey so unforgettable. The stage is set for another timeless adventure.