Kadokawa’s latest financial report dropped a major bomb for Soulsborne fans. Elden Ring Nightreign is getting paid DLC by March 2026, plus we’re getting Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 and The Duskbloods in 2026. The November 6 earnings report revealed FromSoftware’s development pipeline in surprising detail, confirming that the multiplayer roguelike spin-off exceeded sales expectations and will receive substantial post-launch content sooner than most fans anticipated.
What Kadokawa Actually Said
The key information appeared on page 16 of Kadokawa’s second quarter earnings report. The company stated that FromSoftware is currently developing multiple titles, specifically naming three projects with target release windows. Elden Ring Nightreign DLC is planned for release in fiscal year 2025, Elden Ring Tarnished Edition is planned for 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2, and The Duskbloods is planned for 2026.
Understanding the timeline requires knowing how Japanese fiscal years work. Kadokawa’s fiscal year 2024 ended on March 31, 2025, which means fiscal year 2025 will end on March 31, 2026. Barring any delays, that sets the absolute latest date for Nightreign DLC at the end of March 2026, roughly four to five months from now. Given that companies typically avoid last-minute releases at fiscal year end, the actual launch could happen earlier, potentially as soon as December 2025 or January 2026.
The report also celebrated the continued commercial success of Elden Ring, Shadow of the Erdtree, and Nightreign. However, it noted that Nightreign’s player engagement dropped significantly in the second quarter after strong initial sales. Kadokawa explicitly stated they are aiming for further sales growth and hope that DLC can revive momentum the same way Shadow of the Erdtree reinvigorated the original Elden Ring.
What We Know About Nightreign DLC
Details about the DLC content remain scarce, but a previous Steam page leak provided some clues before being removed. The listing mentioned additional playable characters and bosses as core components of the expansion. Given Nightreign’s roguelike structure where players repeatedly run through the same map fighting familiar enemies, adding new playable characters with distinct abilities and fresh boss encounters would significantly extend replay value.
The relatively quick turnaround compared to Shadow of the Erdtree suggests this won’t be a massive expansion on the scale of that DLC. Shadow of the Erdtree took over two years to develop and added an entirely new region larger than some base game areas. Nightreign DLC launching less than a year after the base game implies a more modest scope, likely focusing on expanding existing systems rather than introducing entirely new mechanics or zones.
FromSoftware has a history of reusing assets creatively. Nightreign itself pulls heavily from the Elden Ring archive, remixing existing bosses, environments, and mechanics into a multiplayer roguelike framework. The DLC will probably continue this approach, potentially bringing in bosses from Dark Souls, Bloodborne, or Sekiro that were not included in the base Nightreign package. Additional character skins drawn from FromSoftware’s extensive catalog would provide fan service while requiring relatively modest development resources.
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition for Switch 2
The Kadokawa report reconfirmed that Elden Ring Tarnished Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026. This project was previously announced but suffered a delay from its original 2025 target. FromSoftware apologized for pushing the release back, citing the need for performance adjustments to ensure the game runs acceptably on Nintendo’s next-generation handheld.
Getting Elden Ring running on Switch 2 hardware presents significant technical challenges. The base game struggles even on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, with frame rate drops and loading issues plaguing those versions. Nintendo Switch 2 specifications remain unconfirmed, but leaks suggest hardware more powerful than the original Switch yet still behind PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. FromSoftware needs to balance visual fidelity with stable performance, a task complicated by Elden Ring’s open world design and demanding boss encounters.
The Tarnished Edition will likely include the base game plus Shadow of the Erdtree DLC in a single package. Whether it includes additional Switch-exclusive features or content remains unknown. Cloud versions of demanding games have appeared on current Switch hardware, but FromSoftware seems committed to a native port rather than streaming solution. This approach respects the portable nature of Nintendo’s platform, allowing players to experience the Lands Between during commutes or travel without requiring constant internet connectivity.
The Duskbloods Mystery
The Duskbloods remains the most mysterious project mentioned in Kadokawa’s report. FromSoftware revealed this new IP during the first Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation, showing brief gameplay footage that looked distinctly different from the studio’s typical output. The setting appears to be Victorian or early industrial era rather than medieval fantasy, with characters wielding firearms alongside melee weapons.
Early speculation suggests The Duskbloods might be FromSoftware’s attempt at a cooperative action game with more emphasis on gunplay than previous titles. While Bloodborne featured guns as secondary weapons and Armored Core focused on mech combat, neither quite fits the aesthetic shown in The Duskbloods trailer. The Victorian setting, the prominence of firearms, and the apparent focus on squad-based gameplay could represent a significant departure from Souls formula.
Targeting a 2026 release window suggests The Duskbloods is relatively far along in development. FromSoftware typically reveals games closer to launch rather than announcing projects years in advance. If the studio maintains its traditional marketing approach, we should expect more substantial reveals in the coming months, potentially at The Game Awards in December 2025 or through dedicated marketing events in early 2026.
Nightreign’s Player Retention Problem
Kadokawa’s acknowledgment that Nightreign fell off steeply in the second quarter raises questions about the game’s long-term health. Multiplayer roguelikes live or die based on sustained player engagement. Games like Risk of Rain 2 and Deep Rock Galactic maintain active communities years after launch through regular content updates, seasonal events, and strong core gameplay loops that reward repeated playthroughs.
Nightreign launched with strong sales but struggled to keep players engaged beyond the initial honeymoon period. The ranked mode called Deep of Night failed to generate the competitive enthusiasm FromSoftware hoped for, and the limited map variety meant experienced players quickly exhausted the content. Running through the same environments fighting the same bosses loses appeal after dozens of hours, especially when compared to the exploration and discovery that defines mainline Souls games.
The upcoming DLC represents a crucial opportunity to win back lapsed players and justify the game’s live service aspirations. If the expansion adds enough new characters and bosses to meaningfully diversify the experience, it could spark a player resurgence similar to what Shadow of the Erdtree achieved for Elden Ring. However, if the content feels too incremental or fails to address core repetitiveness issues, Nightreign might permanently lose its audience to competing games.
What This Means for FromSoftware’s Future
The Kadokawa report provides a rare glimpse into FromSoftware’s near-term roadmap. Between Nightreign DLC, Tarnished Edition, and The Duskbloods, the studio has a busy 2026 ahead. What remains conspicuously absent from the report is any mention of a new mainline Souls game, Bloodborne remaster, or Dark Souls III remaster, all projects that rumors have suggested are in various stages of consideration.
Director Hidetaka Miyazaki previously stated that Elden Ring pushed the studio to its limits in terms of scale and resource allocation. He suggested that future projects might involve multiple smaller teams working on different games simultaneously rather than consolidating all talent into a single massive RPG. The current pipeline reflects this philosophy, with Nightreign being a smaller-scope multiplayer project and The Duskbloods appearing to be a new experimental IP.
This approach allows FromSoftware to maintain consistent output without burning out its staff or diluting the quality that made the studio legendary. It also gives younger directors opportunities to lead projects and develop their own creative voices, ensuring the studio’s long-term health beyond Miyazaki’s eventual retirement. Fans hoping for a traditional open-world Souls sequel might need to wait several more years, but the variety of projects in development suggests FromSoftware is far from resting on its laurels.
FAQs About Elden Ring Nightreign DLC
When will Elden Ring Nightreign DLC be released?
According to Kadokawa’s financial report, Elden Ring Nightreign DLC is planned for release in fiscal year 2025, which ends on March 31, 2026. This means the DLC should launch sometime between now and late March 2026, with earlier months like December 2025 or January 2026 being likely candidates.
What will be included in the Nightreign DLC?
Official details are scarce, but a previous Steam page leak mentioned additional playable characters and bosses. Given the quick development timeline compared to Shadow of the Erdtree, expect a more focused expansion that adds content to existing systems rather than introducing entirely new mechanics or regions.
Will the Nightreign DLC be free or paid?
The DLC will be paid content, not a free update. Kadokawa’s report specifically mentions it as part of their strategy to drive additional sales growth for the Elden Ring franchise.
Is Elden Ring Tarnished Edition only for Nintendo Switch 2?
Based on Kadokawa’s report, Elden Ring Tarnished Edition is specifically mentioned for Nintendo Switch 2. This appears to be a platform-specific release that includes the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree DLC optimized for Nintendo’s next-generation hardware.
What is The Duskbloods?
The Duskbloods is a new IP from FromSoftware planned for release in 2026. It was revealed during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct and appears to feature Victorian-era or early industrial setting with firearms and squad-based gameplay, representing a departure from the studio’s typical medieval fantasy Souls games.
Why did Nightreign’s player base drop off?
Kadokawa noted that Nightreign fell off steeply in the second quarter after strong initial sales. The game’s limited map variety and repetitive boss encounters likely contributed to player attrition. The ranked mode Deep of Night also failed to generate sustained competitive interest.
Will there be more DLC for Nightreign after this one?
The Kadokawa report only confirms the first DLC releasing by March 2026. Whether FromSoftware plans additional expansions depends on how well this DLC performs and whether it successfully revitalizes the player base.
When will we get more information about these projects?
The Game Awards in December 2025 would be a logical venue for announcements or trailers. FromSoftware could also host dedicated reveal events in early 2026 as release dates approach for The Duskbloods and other projects.
Conclusion
Kadokawa’s financial report confirms that FromSoftware has an ambitious slate of projects planned for the next year. Elden Ring Nightreign DLC arriving by March 2026 gives the multiplayer spin-off a crucial chance to recapture player interest and prove its long-term viability. The delayed but still-coming Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will finally bring the Lands Between to Nintendo Switch 2 owners who want portable Souls action. The Duskbloods represents exciting new creative territory for a studio known for iterating on established formulas. While fans hoping for Bloodborne remasters or a proper Elden Ring 2 will need patience, the variety in FromSoftware’s pipeline shows a studio confidently experimenting while maintaining the quality standards that built its reputation. Whether Nightreign’s DLC can reverse the game’s player decline remains the biggest question mark, but at least we know help is coming relatively soon for those still grinding through the Land Between’s most challenging cooperative experience.