The Forsaken Hollows DLC Release Date (March 2026) Ultimate Guide
FromSoftware just dropped a massive announcement that has the entire Soulsborne community buzzing – Elden Ring Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows DLC is releasing on December 4, 2026. After months of speculation about whether Nightreign would receive post-launch content, players finally have confirmation that not only is DLC coming, but it’s arriving in less than a month with an incredible roster of new content that includes fan-favorite boss Artorias from Dark Souls.
I’ve been playing Elden Ring Nightreign since its May 30, 2026 launch, and this announcement couldn’t come at a better time. The community has been craving fresh content, and The Forsaken Hollows delivers exactly what we’ve been asking for: new Nightfarers, challenging bosses, expanded areas, and crossover content from both Dark Souls and Shadow of the Erdtree.
What’s New in The Forsaken Hollows?
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Release Date | December 4, 2026 |
| Price | $15 USD (Included in Deluxe/Collector’s Editions) |
| New Nightfarers | Scholar (Arcane) & Undertaker (Strength/Faith) |
| New Nightlords | 2 new third-day bosses (Dreglords) |
| New Shifting Earth | The Great Hollow |
| Returning Bosses | Knight Artorias, Divine Beast Dancing Lion, Astel |
| New Enemies | Fire Knights, Messmer Soldiers, and more from Shadow of the Erdtree |
| Platforms | PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC (Steam) |
| Base Game Required | Yes |
Elden Ring Nightreign The Forsaken Hollows DLC: Official Release Date
The Forsaken Hollows DLC officially releases on December 4, 2026 across all platforms simultaneously. This was announced during Sony’s PlayStation State of Play Japan presentation on November 11, 2026, catching many players by surprise with how soon the content would arrive.
The DLC will be available for $15 USD as a standalone purchase. However, if you purchased the Deluxe Edition or Collector’s Edition of Elden Ring Nightreign, you’ll receive The Forsaken Hollows automatically at no additional cost. Bandai Namco has clarified that the previously available “Deluxe Upgrade Pack” has been renamed to “The Forsaken Hollows DLC” as of November 12, 2026.
Pre-Purchase Bonus
Players who purchase The Forsaken Hollows DLC before December 3, 2026 will receive:
- Digital Artbook (downloadable)
- Mini Soundtrack (downloadable)
These bonuses are made available immediately upon purchase and contain the same content included in the Deluxe Edition packages.
Two New Nightfarers Join the Roster
The Forsaken Hollows introduces two completely new playable characters to Nightreign’s lineup, bringing the total roster to 10 Nightfarers. Both characters offer unique playstyles that fill important niches in the current meta.
Scholar: The Arcane Academic
The Scholar is described as “an academic who walks the Lands Between,” and he specializes in Arcane-based gameplay with observation mechanics that reward tactical thinking.
Key Features:
- Primary Stats: Arcane (high)
- Starting Weapon: Thrusting sword
- Special Ability: Gains incredible advantages through battlefield observation
- Ultimate Skill: Uses a magical grimoire to suspend enemies in midair, immobilizing them and leaving them vulnerable to follow-up attacks
From what we’ve seen in the gameplay trailer, the Scholar’s playstyle revolves around debuffing enemies and buffing himself after defeating weakened foes. His ability to suspend enemies creates incredible synergy in coordinated teams, allowing teammates to unleash devastating combos on helpless targets. If you’re interested in optimizing your character choices, check out our comprehensive Nightreign tier list to see how these new characters might stack up.
Undertaker: The Faith-Based Executioner
The Undertaker is “an abbess who was mandated to slay the Nightlord,” bringing a powerful Strength/Faith build to the game.
Key Features:
- Primary Stats: Strength & Faith (high)
- Starting Weapon: One-handed hammer
- Special Ability: Sends enemies to the afterlife with ruthless efficiency
- Ultimate Skill: Summons a massive hammer and performs a devastating aerial slam attack
The trailer showcases the Undertaker using her ultimate ability against Astel, where she flies into the air before crashing down with tremendous force, stunning the cosmic beast. Her playstyle appears to focus on heavy, punishing strikes combined with faith-based buffs and abilities.
The Return of Knight Artorias: A Dark Souls Legend
The biggest reveal in The Forsaken Hollows trailer was the appearance of Knight Artorias the Abysswalker – one of the most beloved bosses in FromSoftware’s history. Originally featured in the “Artorias of the Abyss” DLC for the original Dark Souls (2011), Artorias has been a fan-favorite character for over a decade.
What We Know About Artorias in Nightreign
Based on the trailer and official information:
- Role: Night boss (not a Nightlord)
- When: Encountered during Night 1 or Night 2 in the new expeditions
- Moveset: Features his iconic greatsword attacks with new additions, including a brutal grab attack shown in the trailer
- Updated Combat: Likely faster and more aggressive to match Nightreign’s speed-focused gameplay
The community has been overjoyed by this addition, especially after seeing the Nameless King (another Dark Souls boss) appear in the base game. Artorias represents FromSoftware’s commitment to celebrating their legacy while creating new experiences.
Many long-time fans are hoping this sets a precedent for other iconic bosses to make appearances in future updates. The excitement around Artorias has single-handedly generated massive interest in The Forsaken Hollows DLC.
Two New Nightlords: The Dreglords Await
The Forsaken Hollows introduces two brand new third-day bosses, described as “Dreglords” rather than Nightlords. According to the trailer’s narrative description, these enemies represent a new threat born from the aftermath of battles against the Night:
“In our war against the Night, every battle left a scar. These wounds were given will. A foul life, born of cast-away souls.”
Seven White-Winged Valkyries
The first new Nightlord appears to be a collective of seven armored angels clad in white plate armor, each wielding holy damage-infused polearms. While the trailer shows seven distinct entities, it’s likely they’ll merge into a single boss encounter similar to how FromSoftware has handled multi-entity bosses in the past.
Expected Mechanics:
- Holy damage attacks
- Coordinated assault patterns
- Potential phase transitions as angels are defeated
- Aerial combat elements
The Blighted Abomination (The Dreglord)
The second Nightlord is described as “The Dreglord” – a massive, nightmarish creature surrounded by bones and rubble. This boss exudes Scarlet Rot and sits in a blighted landscape reminiscent of Caelid.
Expected Mechanics:
- Scarlet Rot status buildup
- Massive size advantage
- Wielding a large cudgel for devastating strikes
- Multiple status effect threats (Death Blight, Rot, potentially others)
Official sources from Bandai Namco confirm these are “two new third day bosses,” meaning they’ll serve as the ultimate challenges for the DLC’s new expeditions.
The Great Hollow: A New Shifting Earth Event
One of the most significant additions is The Great Hollow – a completely new Shifting Earth event that drastically alters Limveld’s geography.
What is The Great Hollow?
According to the official PlayStation Blog:
“A great cavity in the depths of Limveld. The hollow is strewn with exotic ruins and temples; sacred towers denoting the remains of an ancient people; and crystals that exude a cursed, life-draining miasma.”
Key Features:
- Location: Deep beneath Limveld
- Environment: Underground cavern with massive crystals
- Hazards: Life-draining miasma from cursed crystals
- Architecture: Ancient ruins, temples, and sacred towers
- Boss: Likely features Divine Beast Dancing Lion as the Shifting Earth boss
The trailer shows massive purple-blue crystals erupting from the ground, creating an entirely new subterranean area to explore. This represents a significant expansion of Nightreign’s environmental variety and suggests inspiration from Elden Ring’s underground regions like Nokstella and Nokron.
For players who’ve been following Nightreign’s updates, this builds on the foundation established by previous patches. Our Elden Ring Nightreign patch guide covers how FromSoftware has been consistently improving the game.
Shadow of the Erdtree Content Coming to Nightreign
One of the most exciting aspects of The Forsaken Hollows is the integration of content from Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, the critically acclaimed DLC for the original Elden Ring.
New Enemies from Shadow of the Erdtree
Fire Knights: These elite warriors served Messmer the Impaler in Shadow of the Erdtree. They’ll now appear as regular enemies in Limveld, bringing their fire-infused combat styles to Nightreign.
Messmer Soldiers: The standard troops of Messmer’s army will populate certain areas of the new expeditions, adding enemy variety and new combat challenges.
Returning Bosses
Divine Beast Dancing Lion: One of Shadow of the Erdtree’s most memorable bosses, this multi-elemental beast appears to serve as The Great Hollow’s Shifting Earth boss. The Dancing Lion can shift between lightning, wind, and frost attacks, making it a dynamic and challenging encounter.
Astel, Naturalborn of the Void: This cosmic horror boss from Elden Ring’s underground regions makes an appearance in The Forsaken Hollows. The trailer shows the Undertaker using her ultimate ability against Astel, suggesting it may appear as a field boss or Night boss.
New Gladius Raid
The trailer reveals Nightfarers fighting a single-headed Gladius in an open field, hinting at a new raid encounter. In the base game, Gladius was only available as a Night boss, making this potential raid addition a welcome expansion of content.
Platform Availability and Requirements
The Forsaken Hollows DLC will be available on:
- PlayStation 4
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox One
- Xbox Series X/S
- PC via Steam
Important Notes:
- The base game Elden Ring Nightreign is required to play The Forsaken Hollows
- No Nintendo Switch or mobile versions exist
- Cross-generational play is supported (PS4 with PS5, Xbox One with Series X/S)
- No cross-platform play between different platform families
For detailed information about platform compatibility, read our guide on Is Elden Ring Nightreign crossplay.
How The Forsaken Hollows Fits Into Nightreign’s Story?
While Nightreign’s narrative has been somewhat cryptic, The Forsaken Hollows adds a new layer to the ongoing struggle against the Night. The DLC’s description suggests these new enemies – the Dreglords – are born from the consequences of the Nightfarers’ war:
The fallen souls and blood from battles against the Nightlords have coalesced into new threats. These “Abominations” represent wounded spirits given will, creating a secondary enemy faction beyond just the Night itself.
This narrative development suggests that the Nightfarers’ actions have consequences, and their war against the Night is creating unforeseen dangers. The Scholar and Undertaker likely bring news of these new threats to the Roundtable Hold, setting up the expansion’s storyline.
What This Means for Nightreign’s Meta?
The addition of two new Nightfarers will significantly impact the game’s meta, especially in coordinated team compositions. Based on their revealed abilities:
Scholar’s Impact:
- Provides crowd control through enemy suspension
- Enables setup for massive damage combos
- Arcane scaling opens new build possibilities
- Observation-based buffs reward skilled play
Undertaker’s Impact:
- Brings high burst damage with aerial slam
- Strength/Faith builds get new representation
- Potential synergy with faith-scaling weapons
- Heavy stun capabilities for boss fights
The new weapons, armor, and relics that will inevitably come with these characters will also shake up the established tier lists. Players have been craving more build diversity, and The Forsaken Hollows appears to deliver exactly that.
Community Reactions and Expectations
The announcement of The Forsaken Hollows has been met with overwhelmingly positive reactions from the Nightreign community:
Positive Feedback:
- Artorias inclusion generated massive hype
- Shadow of the Erdtree content integration excited fans
- Quick turnaround from announcement to release
- Reasonable $15 price point
- New characters fill requested niches
Some Concerns:
- No entirely new map, just a Shifting Earth variant
- Only two new main bosses (though multiple new encounters)
- Questions about long-term content support
- Desire for more substantial expansions
Reddit discussions on communities like r/Eldenring and various gaming forums show that while some players hoped for a larger expansion, most are satisfied with the scope and excited about the quality additions.
Comparing to Other FromSoftware DLC
For context, let’s look at how The Forsaken Hollows compares to other FromSoftware DLC releases:
| DLC | Price | New Bosses | New Areas | New Equipment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Artorias of the Abyss (Dark Souls) | $14.99 | 4 | 4 major areas | 30+ items |
| The Old Hunters (Bloodborne) | $19.99 | 5 | 3 major areas | 40+ items |
| Shadow of the Erdtree (Elden Ring) | $39.99 | 10+ | Entire new map | 100+ items |
| The Forsaken Hollows (Nightreign) | $14.99 | 4-6 | Shifting Earth variant | TBA |
At $15, The Forsaken Hollows is priced similarly to smaller FromSoftware expansions while offering competitive content for a multiplayer-focused roguelike title.
Preparation Tips Before The Forsaken Hollows Launches
With less than a month until release, here’s how to prepare:
1. Master Your Current Main
Get comfortable with at least one Nightfarer before the DLC drops. The new content will likely be challenging, and having a solid foundation will help.
2. Complete Existing Content
Finish all current expeditions and unlock available Nightlords. The Forsaken Hollows may require completion of certain base game content.
3. Stockpile Resources
Gather upgrade materials and currency. New weapons and armor will require resources to level up.
4. Form Your Team
If you play with friends, coordinate who will try each new Nightfarer. Having one player focus on Scholar and another on Undertaker will help your team adapt quickly.
5. Review Game Mechanics
Brush up on Nightreign’s systems. Our Elden Ring Nightreign update coverage provides detailed information about recent changes.
What Happens If You Don’t Buy The Forsaken Hollows?
If you choose not to purchase the DLC, you’ll still receive:
- All balance patches and bug fixes
- Base game updates and improvements
- Continued access to all original content
What you won’t have access to:
- Scholar and Undertaker Nightfarers
- New Nightlord expeditions
- The Great Hollow Shifting Earth event
- New bosses (Artorias, Dreglords, etc.)
- DLC-exclusive weapons, armor, and relics
The DLC is designed to be additional content rather than essential, but for players invested in Nightreign’s long-term experience, it’s clearly worthwhile.
Future DLC Speculation
With The Forsaken Hollows confirmed, many players are wondering if more DLC will follow. Here’s what we know:
Positive Signs:
- FromSoftware’s track record with multiple DLC releases
- Nightreign’s strong sales (5+ million units)
- Active development team responding to feedback
- Established DLC framework
Potential Future Content:
- More Shadow of the Erdtree bosses and enemies
- Additional Dark Souls crossover content
- New Shifting Earth variants
- Expanded endgame systems
While nothing is confirmed beyond The Forsaken Hollows, the game’s success and FromSoftware’s commitment suggest continued support is likely. For fans interested in FromSoftware’s broader catalog, check out our ranking of FromSoftware’s best Souls games.
Technical Requirements and Performance
PC Minimum Specifications:
- OS: Windows 10
- Processor: Intel Core i5-8400 or AMD Ryzen 3 3300X
- Memory: 12 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1060 or AMD Radeon RX 580
- Storage: 60 GB available space
Recommended for High Settings:
- Processor: Intel Core i7-8700K or AMD Ryzen 5 3600X
- Memory: 16 GB RAM
- Graphics: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1070 or AMD Radeon RX Vega 56
The Forsaken Hollows shouldn’t significantly increase system requirements, as it’s built on the same engine as the base game.
How to Purchase The Forsaken Hollows?
For New Players: Purchase the Deluxe Edition of Elden Ring Nightreign, which includes:
- Base game
- The Forsaken Hollows DLC
- Digital Artbook
- Mini Soundtrack
For Existing Standard Edition Owners: Purchase The Forsaken Hollows DLC separately for $14.99 through:
- PlayStation Store (PS4/PS5)
- Microsoft Store (Xbox)
- Steam (PC)
For Deluxe/Collector’s Edition Owners: You already have access! The DLC will automatically appear in your library on December 4, 2026.
Why The Forsaken Hollows is Worth Getting?
After analyzing all available information, here’s why I believe The Forsaken Hollows is a must-buy for Nightreign fans:
1. Value Proposition: At $15, you’re getting two new characters, multiple new bosses, new environments, and presumably dozens of new equipment pieces. That’s solid value compared to other game DLC.
2. Artorias Alone: For longtime FromSoftware fans, fighting Artorias in Nightreign’s faster, more dynamic combat system is worth the price of admission.
3. Fresh Meta: The current Nightreign meta has become somewhat stale. New characters and equipment will shake things up significantly.
4. Shadow of the Erdtree Content: Getting DLC content from Elden Ring’s acclaimed expansion is an unexpected bonus that adds tremendous value.
5. Community Revival: DLC launches always bring players back. Queue times will improve and matchmaking will be more active.
Final Thoughts
Elden Ring Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows launches December 4, 2026, and represents exactly the kind of meaningful expansion that Nightreign needed. While some players may have hoped for an entirely new map, the combination of new Nightfarers, challenging bosses, Shadow of the Erdtree content, and the legendary Artorias makes this a compelling package.
The $15 price point is reasonable, the release date is soon enough to maintain player interest, and FromSoftware’s track record suggests this will be a polished, challenging experience worthy of the Nightreign name.
For players who’ve been enjoying Nightreign since launch, The Forsaken Hollows is essentially mandatory. For those who’ve stepped away from the game, this DLC represents the perfect excuse to return and experience the expanded content with a revitalized community.
Mark your calendars for December 4, 2026 – the Forsaken Hollows await, and the Dreglords will not be merciful. Steel your resolve, Nightfarers, and prepare to face the consequences of your war against the Night.
If you’re looking to brush up on your skills before the DLC drops, explore our guides on the best Elden Ring mods and Elden Ring keyboard controls to optimize your gameplay experience.
Frequently Asked Questions
When is Elden Ring Nightreign The Forsaken Hollows release date?
The Forsaken Hollows DLC releases on December 4, 2026 across all platforms including PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via Steam. The DLC was announced on November 11, 2026 during Sony’s State of Play Japan presentation.
How much does The Forsaken Hollows DLC cost?
The Forsaken Hollows costs $14.99 USD as a standalone purchase. However, if you own the Deluxe Edition or Collector’s Edition of Elden Ring Nightreign, the DLC is included at no additional cost. Pre-purchasing before December 3, 2026 includes a digital artbook and mini soundtrack.
Do I need the base game to play The Forsaken Hollows?
Yes, the base game Elden Ring Nightreign is absolutely required to access The Forsaken Hollows DLC. This is expansion content, not a standalone experience. You cannot play the DLC without owning Nightreign.
What new characters are in The Forsaken Hollows?
The DLC adds two new Nightfarers: Scholar (an Arcane-focused academic with enemy suspension abilities) and Undertaker (a Strength/Faith abbess with devastating aerial hammer attacks). These bring the total playable roster to 10 characters.
Is Artorias a Nightlord in The Forsaken Hollows?
No, Artorias is a Night boss, not a Nightlord. He will appear during Night 1 or Night 2 in the new expeditions, similar to how other returning FromSoftware bosses function in the base game. He’s not one of the two new third-day Nightlord bosses.
Does The Forsaken Hollows add a new map?
The Forsaken Hollows does not add an entirely new separate map. Instead, it adds “The Great Hollow” – a new Shifting Earth event that creates massive underground areas beneath Limveld with crystals, ruins, and temples. It’s a significant geographical change rather than a separate playable region.
Will The Forsaken Hollows be free?
No, The Forsaken Hollows is not free DLC. It’s priced at $14.99 for standard edition owners. Only players who previously purchased the Deluxe or Collector’s editions will receive it automatically as it was included in those packages.
What enemies from Shadow of the Erdtree are included?
The DLC includes Fire Knights, Messmer Soldiers, Divine Beast Dancing Lion, and Astel as confirmed enemy additions from Shadow of the Erdtree and the base Elden Ring game. Additional enemies may be included but haven’t been officially confirmed.