If you’ve been keeping up with Elden Ring‘s spin-off manga, Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree, you may be disappointed to know that it will be skipping next month’s update. However, the author has a perfectly understandable and relatable reason… he wants to play Shadow of the Erdtree.
For anyone who wasn’t aware, Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree is an adaptation of the game, but is more of a comedy story starring an original protagonist. It’s been getting new chapters biweekly; in fact, a new one dropped earlier today. As spotted by Automaton, author Nikiichi Tobita has opted to take some time off to enjoy the new Elden Ring DLC, which is scheduled to launch tomorrow (or on Friday depending on your timezone). This means the manga won’t be getting a new chapter on July 19 as initially expected.
You can’t be mad with him for his decision. How many of us have booked time off work to play a hot, new video game? How many of us have booked time off specifically for Shadow of the Erdtree? People have been clamouring for more Elden Ring since the game launched in 2022 and, based on all the reviews, it sounds like the wait will be worth it. Plus, writing and drawing manga chapters on a regular basis must be exhausting work, so Tobita is probably due a break anyway. Playing the DLC may also give him new ideas for future manga chapters.
Would you believe this isn’t even the only Elden Ring manga? Just last week, publisher Bandai Namco announced a second one titled Elden Ring: Distant Stories from The Lands Between (via Famitsu) and while it’ll also be a comedy, the focus will be on the various NPCs players have met in the Lands Between. Serialisation will begin on July 4, but there’s no mention of an official English translation. Since Elden Ring: The Road to the Erdtree has been localised for Western fans, hopefully this second manga will follow suit.
