As the gaming community eagerly anticipates the release of Shadow of the Erdtree, questions about preloading and launch times have been swirling. Unfortunately for PC and Xbox users, there will be no preloading available for this expansion. However, PlayStation players can rejoice as they will be able to begin preloading 48 hours ahead of the official launch.
Launch Time Details
The launch of Shadow of the Erdtree is set to be a staggered affair, with different times for various platforms and regions. For PC players, the global launch times are as follows:
- 3 pm PDT June 20 (Los Angeles)
- 6 pm EDT (New York)
- 11 pm BST (London)
- 8 am AEST June 21 (Sydney)
- 10 am NZST June 21 (Auckland)
Console players will experience a rolling launch at midnight local time in most regions. However, there is an exception for the US, where console players will gain access at 12 am Eastern, which translates to 9 pm Pacific on Thursday, June 20.
Who Gets to Play First?
The first gamers to dive into Shadow of the Erdtree will be console players in New Zealand, who will gain access at midnight local time on June 21. This translates to 5 am PDT and 1 pm BST on June 20, giving them a significant head start of about 10 hours over PC players.
In essence, console players in the eastern hemisphere will be the first to start their adventures, followed by PC players globally. Finally, console players in the western hemisphere will join in with their midnight launches. While it may seem complex, this staggered approach ensures a smooth rollout across different time zones and platforms.
Despite the lack of preloading for some platforms, the relatively modest download size of around 15 gigabytes should make the wait more bearable. As fans prepare to embark on this new journey, the excitement continues to build for what promises to be another captivating chapter in the Elden Ring saga.
