Elden Ring is giving players another reason to return to the Lands Between before the end of 2026, with a new event focusing on some of the game’s most challenging content. FromSoftware’s massive open-world Soulslike game has continued attracting players years after its original release, but no one would ever argue with more Elden Ring. With community activities keeping the game in the spotlight, Elden Ring is now preparing to close out the year with another challenge for its dedicated player base.
Elden Ring also made its Nintendo debut earlier this year with the Tarnished Edition, which launched for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28. The release includes the original game and Shadow of the Erdtree, giving Nintendo players access to the complete adventure in one package. The expansion easily remains one of Elden Ring’s biggest challenges, introducing the Land of Shadow, several notoriously difficult bosses, and locations like the Abyssal Woods. Now, Bandai Namco is encouraging players across platforms to revisit that content, with several community-wide objectives planned for December.
Elden Ring Gives Players New Challenges to Complete in Shadow of the Erdtree
Bandai Namco has announced Path of Shadows, the fourth and final installment in its Elden Ring Community Quests initiative. The event begins December 1 and runs through December 28, 2026, challenging players to work together toward five objectives based on Shadow of the Erdtree. Unlike a traditional in-game quest, Path of Shadows tracks the community’s collective progress, meaning players contribute toward shared goals instead of completing every challenge individually. Bandai Namco has outlined the following objectives:
- Collect 1,000,000 Scadutree Fragments.
- Reach the Abyssal Woods 15,000 times.
- Drink from St. Trina’s Nectar 10,000 times.
- Obtain 70,000 Larval Tears.
- Obtain 500,000 Revered Spirit Ashes.
Participation in Elden Ring‘s Path of Shadows event is relatively straightforward, as players only need to play the game on their preferred platform during the event period. Progress updates and reminders will be shared through the official Elden Ring Discord server, allowing the community to keep track of its achievements. The objectives also cover several different parts of Shadow of the Erdtree, from collecting important upgrade materials to exploring the Abyssal Woods and interacting with St. Trina. As a result, players won’t necessarily need to focus on the same activity throughout December (although some objectives will naturally require more effort than others). Path of Shadows follows three earlier events celebrating different parts of the game, beginning with September’s Path of the Tarnished and November’s Path of the Elden Lord.
Find the odd one out before the timer hits zero.
Bandai Namco has also confirmed two special rewards for Elden Ring‘s final community quest of 2026. Participants will have the opportunity to receive exclusive commemorative artwork created by Crisppyboat, alongside a St. Trina Twitch chat badge designed by Carsondrewit.
With Path of Shadows scheduled to end on December 28, Elden Ring’s Community Quests initiative will wrap up just before the new year. Bandai Namco hasn’t announced whether similar events will return in 2027, but the December challenge offers another opportunity to revisit Shadow of the Erdtree without requiring an additional purchase. It’s also a fitting choice for the final event, considering how much the expansion contributed to Elden Ring’s continued popularity.
- Released
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August 28, 2026
- ESRB
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Mature 17+ / Blood and Gore, Language, Suggestive Themes, Violence
