Elden Ring Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows DLC surpassed 2 million units sold worldwide within days of its December 4, 2025 launch, according to FromSoftware and Bandai Namco. The $15 expansion adds two Nightfarer characters, two new Nightlord bosses, a fresh location called Shifting Earth, and returning bosses from previous Souls titles to the multiplayer co-op survival action game. Despite strong sales, Steam reviews sit at mixed with 51% positive from over 1,365 user reviews as of December 6, with many players criticizing the DLC for having insufficient content relative to its price point. The expansion is available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam, included free with Deluxe and Collector’s editions or purchasable separately.
What Is Elden Ring Nightreign
Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone multiplayer co-op survival action spinoff of the original Elden Ring, launching May 30, 2025. Unlike the massive open-world exploration of Elden Ring, Nightreign focuses on fast-paced 30-minute sessions where three players team up to survive three in-game nights before facing a final Nightlord boss. Players choose from specialized Nightfarer characters with distinct abilities, sprint across condensed maps called Limveld to find treasure and defeat bosses, and earn equipment and power-ups to prepare for climactic battles. FromSoftware emphasized this is not a live service game despite the multiplayer focus, allowing offline solo play without forced microtransactions.
The game launched with characters like Duchess (a virtuous thief with quick reflexes who can reenact attacks for double damage), Ironeye (an archer who marks enemies to disrupt poise and create openings), and others with unique skills and arts. The core loop involves strategic route planning before nightfall, hunting enemies to level up, discovering relics, and managing the Night’s Tide that narrows traversal range as darkness falls. Critically injured allies can be revived by attacking them with skills and weapons, encouraging cooperative teamwork rather than permadeath mechanics.
Forsaken Hollows Content Breakdown
The Forsaken Hollows DLC adds two new Nightfarer characters expanding the roster with fresh playstyles and abilities. The expansion introduces two new Nightlord bosses to serve as final encounter challenges, plus a new Shifting Earth location that changes the environmental dynamics players must navigate. Multiple returning bosses from previous FromSoftware Souls titles appear in the DLC, offering nostalgia for series veterans while introducing new combat scenarios in Nightreign’s condensed format. Additional new items, weapons, and monsters round out the content package, though specific details about quantities remain vague in official descriptions.
To access the DLC, players must reach a specific progression point in the base game rather than having immediate access from the start. This gate ensures players understand Nightreign’s core mechanics before jumping into expansion content. The December 4 release arrived approximately six months after the base game’s May 30 launch, a relatively quick turnaround for substantial DLC compared to Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion which took over two years.
The Review Controversy
Steam reviews sitting at 51% positive (mixed rating) represents disappointing reception for a FromSoftware expansion, especially considering the franchise’s reputation for quality DLC. Players are specifically criticizing the content-to-price ratio, arguing that $15 for two characters, two bosses, one new area, and some returning bosses doesn’t offer enough fresh material to justify the cost. Many reviews compare Forsaken Hollows unfavorably to Shadow of the Erdtree, which added entire continents worth of new areas, dozens of unique bosses, weapons, spells, and story content for $40.
The criticism highlights fundamental differences between traditional Elden Ring expansions and DLC for Nightreign’s session-based format. Shadow of the Erdtree could offer 30+ hours of new exploration content because the base game is a massive open-world RPG. Nightreign’s condensed 30-minute sessions inherently limit how much content can be added without fundamentally changing the game’s structure. Whether $15 is fair value depends on perspective: players expecting Erdtree-level content feel shortchanged, while those understanding Nightreign’s different format might find the additions reasonable for extending replayability.
Launch Timing and Sales
The Forsaken Hollows launched at midnight local time for console players on December 4, with PC players getting access earlier depending on region (3 PM PST December 3 for US West Coast, 6 PM EST December 3 for US East Coast, 11 PM GMT December 3 for UK). This staggered global release created slight confusion with some players accessing the DLC on December 3 while others waited until December 4. The simultaneous worldwide launch time meant FromSoftware could monitor server stability and player feedback in real-time rather than dealing with rolling regional releases.
Selling 2 million units within two days represents strong commercial performance regardless of mixed reviews. For comparison, that’s faster than many full indie games sell in their entire lifetime. The success likely stems from Elden Ring’s massive installed base (over 25 million copies sold as of mid-2024), where even a fraction of that audience purchasing $15 DLC generates substantial revenue. Deluxe and Collector’s Edition owners receiving the DLC free means a portion of those 2 million sales were bundled rather than separate purchases, though Bandai Namco hasn’t broken down the split.
What This Means for Nightreign’s Future
The strong sales despite mixed reviews suggest FromSoftware and Bandai Namco will likely continue supporting Nightreign with additional DLC expansions. Whether future content addresses player concerns about value remains to be seen. FromSoftware could respond by either lowering prices for similar-sized DLC packs, increasing content volume to justify the pricing, or maintaining current strategy and accepting that some portion of the playerbase will remain dissatisfied with the content-to-price ratio for session-based game expansions.
The mixed reception also raises questions about expectations for spinoff titles versus mainline entries. Nightreign is explicitly a different type of experience from Elden Ring, designed for quick cooperative sessions rather than sprawling solo exploration. Players judging Forsaken Hollows by Erdtree standards fundamentally misunderstand what Nightreign is trying to be. However, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco share responsibility for managing those expectations through pricing and marketing that communicates value propositions clearly.
FAQs
When did Elden Ring Nightreign Forsaken Hollows release?
The Forsaken Hollows DLC launched December 4, 2025 (or December 3 depending on region and platform) for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X and S, and PC via Steam.
How much does Forsaken Hollows cost?
The Forsaken Hollows costs $15 USD as a standalone purchase. Players who bought Deluxe Edition or Collector’s Edition of Elden Ring Nightreign receive the DLC free automatically.
What’s included in Forsaken Hollows?
The DLC adds two new Nightfarer characters, two new Nightlord bosses, one new Shifting Earth location, returning bosses from previous Souls titles, and additional items, weapons, and monsters.
Why are Steam reviews mixed?
Many players criticize the DLC for insufficient content relative to the $15 price, comparing it unfavorably to Shadow of the Erdtree which offered significantly more new areas, bosses, and content for $40.
How many copies did Forsaken Hollows sell?
FromSoftware and Bandai Namco announced the DLC surpassed 2 million units sold worldwide within days of launch, representing strong commercial performance despite mixed reviews.
Do I need Forsaken Hollows to play Nightreign?
No. The Forsaken Hollows is optional DLC that expands the base game with additional characters, bosses, and locations. You can enjoy the full Elden Ring Nightreign experience without purchasing the expansion.
What is Elden Ring Nightreign?
Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone multiplayer co-op survival action spinoff launching May 30, 2025. Three players team up for 30-minute sessions to survive three nights and defeat a final Nightlord boss. It’s not a live service game and supports offline solo play.
Conclusion
Elden Ring Nightreign: The Forsaken Hollows represents an interesting case study in how different game formats require different approaches to DLC pricing and content volume. FromSoftware and Bandai Namco clearly have commercial success with 2 million units sold, but the mixed Steam reviews indicate a significant portion of players feel underserved by what $15 bought them. Whether future expansions adjust pricing, increase content, or maintain the current approach will determine if Nightreign can sustain long-term player engagement beyond the core fanbase willing to buy anything with the Elden Ring name attached. For now, Forsaken Hollows is profitable but polarizing, selling well while leaving many buyers questioning if they got their money’s worth. That’s not the reputation FromSoftware typically wants associated with their DLC, especially after Shadow of the Erdtree set such high standards for expansion content value.