The Forsaken Hollows, the first paid DLC for Elden Ring Nightreign, dropped on December 4, 2025, and immediately got hammered with negative Steam reviews. The expansion sits at a dismal 46% positive rating, officially making it FromSoftware’s worst-reviewed PC release ever. Players dropped their money expecting substantial content but walked away feeling shortchanged, especially considering the base game itself already launched to mixed reception back in May 2025 with just 66% positive reviews.
What You Actually Get
The Forsaken Hollows DLC adds two new playable characters called Nightfarers (The Scholar and The Undertaker), two new boss encounters (the Balancers), and one new Shifting Earth event called The Great Hollows. That’s it. For players who shelled out cash expecting something comparable to Elden Ring’s Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, which added an entirely new map region roughly the size of Limgrave with dozens of bosses and hundreds of new weapons and spells, The Forsaken Hollows feels incredibly thin.
The DLC sold over 2 million copies within its first three days, according to a December 5 announcement from FromSoftware and Bandai Namco. Despite the commercial success, the player reception tells a completely different story. Steam reviews are flooded with complaints about the lack of content, particularly the absence of new weapons and armor from the base Elden Ring game. Many expected FromSoftware to gradually port over more equipment from the mainline title to give Nightreign more build variety, but The Forsaken Hollows doesn’t include any new gear beyond what the two new characters bring.
What Even Is Nightreign
For those unfamiliar, Elden Ring Nightreign is not Elden Ring 2 or a traditional expansion. It’s a standalone roguelike co-op spinoff that launched May 30, 2025, using the Elden Ring IP and gameplay foundation but fundamentally changing the structure. You pick one of eight pre-made characters called Nightfarers, team up with two other players (or go solo if you’re brave), and attempt to survive three in-game days in Limveld, a procedurally generated version of Elden Ring’s Limgrave region.
Each run lasts roughly 30-40 minutes. The first two days have miniboss encounters similar to Tree Sentinel or Margit, with about 10 minutes per day for exploration and power-up collection. On the third day, you face the Nightlord boss you selected at the start. The map shrinks throughout each night cycle via the Night’s Tide mechanic, forcing players into increasingly dangerous encounters. The game has no character customization beyond picking accessories, no traditional open-world exploration, and focuses entirely on session-based cooperative gameplay.
Why Everyone Hates It
| Complaint | Details |
|---|---|
| Minimal Content | Only 2 characters, 2 bosses, 1 new area |
| No New Weapons | Zero additions from base Elden Ring arsenal |
| Poor Value | Price doesn’t match content volume |
| Base Game Issues | No crossplay, no voice chat, forced trio matchmaking |
| Communication Problems | Random teammates with no coordination tools |
The DLC amplifies existing frustrations with Nightreign’s base design. Players still can’t do duo runs, forcing a third random player into every session even if you just want to play with one friend. There’s no crossplay between platforms despite being a multiplayer-focused game. Voice chat doesn’t exist natively, requiring external Discord coordination. These fundamental issues combined with minimal new content in a paid expansion created the perfect storm for negative reviews.
Community feedback consistently mentions that adding weapons and armor from base Elden Ring would dramatically improve build variety and replayability. Nightreign launched with a curated selection of equipment from the mainline game, and many assumed DLC would expand that roster. The Forsaken Hollows adding nothing on that front feels like a massive missed opportunity, especially when the roguelike structure heavily emphasizes experimenting with different builds across multiple runs.
How to Unlock the DLC
If you bought The Forsaken Hollows or own the Deluxe Edition (which included the expansion), you need to meet specific requirements before accessing the new content. First, defeat two different Nightlord expeditions, including the initial Tricephalos boss. Second, unlock both the Undertaker and Scholar characters. Once you’ve done both, head to the Small Jar Merchant in the east wing of Roundtable Hold. A door behind the merchant will have opened into a chapel, granting access to The Great Hollows Shifting Earth event and the Balancers boss expedition.
A post-release update also integrated DLC content into the base game’s Deep of Night mode, but only if you matchmake with three players who all own the expansion. If you’re playing with random teammates who don’t have the DLC, you won’t encounter the new Shifting Earth, raid events, or bases. This segregation further fragments the already struggling player population.
The Base Game’s Rocky Launch
Nightreign itself launched to FromSoftware’s worst Steam reception ever at 66% positive reviews, a dramatic drop from the studio’s typical Very Positive or Overwhelmingly Positive ratings. For context, Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin sits at 84% positive, making Nightreign a substantial outlier. The game peaked at 313,593 concurrent players on Steam at launch, showing strong initial interest, but reviews immediately turned mixed as players encountered the multiplayer limitations and realized the game was fundamentally different from what they expected.
Many negative reviews share a common theme: “This is not the Elden Ring game you are looking for.” Players came expecting a co-op version of the mainline Elden Ring experience with open-world exploration and character customization. What they got was a roguelike extraction shooter-style game with session-based gameplay and pre-made characters. The disconnect between expectations and reality killed the vibe for a significant portion of the audience.
FAQs
How much does The Forsaken Hollows DLC cost?
Bandai Namco hasn’t publicly disclosed the exact standalone price for The Forsaken Hollows, but it’s included in the Deluxe Edition of Elden Ring Nightreign. Players who purchased the standard edition can buy the DLC separately, though pricing varies by region. The controversy stems partly from the perceived lack of value regardless of price point.
Is Elden Ring Nightreign connected to the main Elden Ring story?
Elden Ring Nightreign takes place in a parallel universe to the main Elden Ring timeline. It’s set in Limveld, a transitory land rather than the Lands Between. While it uses familiar locations, enemies, and lore elements, it’s narratively separate from the events of Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree. Think of it as a “what if” spinoff rather than a direct sequel or prequel.
Can you play Elden Ring Nightreign solo?
Yes, but it’s designed for three-player co-op. Playing solo is significantly harder since the game balances encounters around having three players. You can’t adjust the difficulty, and there’s no option to play with just two players. It’s either solo, which is brutally difficult, or three players, which is the intended experience.
Does Nightreign have character customization?
No. Unlike base Elden Ring where you create a custom character and build whatever playstyle you want, Nightreign uses eight pre-made characters called Nightfarers. Each has fixed starting weapons, abilities, and stats. The only customization is selecting accessories. The Forsaken Hollows DLC adds two more pre-made characters (Scholar and Undertaker) but doesn’t change this system.
Will FromSoftware add crossplay to Nightreign?
FromSoftware hasn’t announced plans to add crossplay despite it being one of the most requested features. The absence of crossplay in a multiplayer-focused game released in 2025 baffles many players, especially when similar titles like Helldivers 2 launched with full crossplay support. Without an official statement, it’s unclear if crossplay will ever arrive.
How long does a Nightreign run take?
A complete run from start to defeating the Nightlord takes roughly 30-40 minutes. Each of the three days lasts about 10-15 minutes depending on how much you explore versus rushing objectives. The time-limited structure creates urgency but also means runs feel repetitive quickly if you’re grinding for specific unlocks.
What’s the difference between Nightreign and Shadow of the Erdtree?
Shadow of the Erdtree is a massive traditional expansion for Elden Ring adding a whole new map region, over 100 new weapons, dozens of bosses, and 30-40 hours of content. Nightreign is a completely separate standalone game using roguelike co-op mechanics instead of open-world exploration. The Forsaken Hollows DLC for Nightreign adds 2 characters and 2 bosses, nowhere near the scale of Shadow of the Erdtree.
Is The Forsaken Hollows worth buying?
Based on Steam reviews at 46% positive and community feedback emphasizing lack of content, most players feel it’s not worth the price. If you’re deeply invested in Nightreign and want any new content regardless of volume, it adds some variety. For everyone else waiting for substantial additions like new weapons or meaningful gameplay expansions, it’s probably best to skip or wait for a sale.
What This Means for FromSoftware
The Forsaken Hollows debacle highlights the dangers of chasing live-service and multiplayer trends when your audience expects something completely different. FromSoftware built its reputation on sprawling single-player experiences with optional co-op elements. Nightreign flips that formula, making co-op mandatory and removing the open-ended exploration that defines the studio’s best work. The result is a game that alienates core fans while failing to attract the live-service crowd who have plenty of alternatives.
FromSoftware has another multiplayer project in development called The Duskbloods, which uses a PvPvE extraction shooter model similar to Hunt: Showdown or Escape from Tarkov. If that game launches with similarly sparse content and the same multiplayer limitations plaguing Nightreign, it could cement a worrying trend for the studio’s future. Nightreign’s poor reception should serve as a warning that FromSoftware’s magic doesn’t automatically translate to session-based multiplayer games, no matter how strong the IP backing it.