It didn’t clarify whether this total comprises sales of the Deluxe Edition, which includes the DLC. As for players, it peaked at 133,355 concurrent on Steam at launch and nearly reached 110,000 in the past 24 hours. However, the rating is “Mixed,” with only 46 percent of the currently 3,501 user reviews recommending it.

Criticism is aimed at the Great Hollow, a new Shifting Earth which actually serves as a separate map. Its vertical nature has been panned due to many falling into the abyss and the new Caligo invasion, which reduces visibility, and doesn’t help when it appears. Others have noted the lack of new weapons, especially from Shadow of the Erdtree.

Nevertheless, the success of The Forsaken Hollows could motivate FromSoftware to deliver more content for the co-op rogue-lite. If nothing else, the overall response to Nightreign is good news for The Duskbloods, its upcoming eight-player PvEvP multiplayer title for Nintendo Switch 2, which launches in 2026.

The Forsaken Hollows currently has a “Mixed” rating with only 46 percent of the 1,171 user reviews recommending it. The common complaint seems to be the lack of new weapons or items outside of the unique weapons the Scholar and Undertaker start with (which aren’t all that special).

As one review notes, “Why didn’t they add the Elden Ring DLC weapons, Ashes of War, or spells? That feels like a MASSIVE mistake, and I am genuinely heartbroken that we can’t get those items in this game,” referring to the items from Shadow of the Erdtree.”

Another says the DLC doesn’t do enough to shake up the map variety, even with the Great Hollows. “This flaw is not adequately addressed in this DLC, where we get a whopping one Shifting Earth event, which introduces a map that is aesthetically mesmerizing, but disappointing in every other respect. The Great Hollows would be fun to explore without the time crunch, but with that limitation, I feel no incentive to explore it at all.”

Of course, given the post-launch support for the base game, FromSoftware could very well add more events, weapons, items, and so on. Bigger additions to Limveld might be reserved for future DLC, if there’s anything planned beyond The Forsaken Hollows.

The Scholar

The first of two Nightfarers, an absolute nerd to his friends and the bane of enemy packs, the Scholar specializes in thrusting weapons like the rapier. His real talents lie in observation – by using Analyze, he can debuff multiple enemies at once. In the same vein, observing your allies will grant them buffs.

These both pair well with his Ultimate, which links foes together and causes them to take shared damage. Meanwhile, any healing items will benefit nearby allies. Truly, the perfect counter to Nightlords like Libra, whose Condemned (those clones of your party) can be a real headache to deal with. But on top of all this, the Scholar is capable of leveling up items to make them more potent and grant additional effects. He can also store more resources, which is a great way to keep your team stocked up at all times.

The Undertaker

If the Scholar is the chisel, then the Undertaker is the hammer – quite literally, since she specializes in the same. A frontlining damage dealer, her skill “Trance” will grant increased Toughness and more damage to combos while turning her regular movement into a dash, which doesn’t use stamina. If her Ultimate bear is full when using Trance, it further improves the buffs granted.

Speaking of which, her Ultimate has to be one of the most ridiculous things in the game, as the Undertaker removes an “uncanny bone” and uses it to careen into a target like they owe her money. Not only is this viable for breaking an enemy’s guard, but it also deals solid stance damage. And if all that wasn’t enough, her passive, “Confluence,” is straight-up broken. After an ally uses their Ultimate, the Undertaker gets a free charge for her own Ultimate. This is completely independent of her current charge. If you have three Undertakers in the same team, you can unleash a barrage of heat-seeking missiles to annihilate enemies.

New Relic Passives

Thanks to GameSpot’s recent preview, we also have an idea of the dedicated Relics that each new Nightfarer can run with. The Scholar can inflict continuous damage on targets connected by his Ultimate, boost the attack of analyzed allies, and even stop Analyze from slowing at all. Meanwhile, the Undertaker can gain increased attack power when using her Ultimate, increase the damage of the final hit in a combo, and even restore health to any allies that you brush past while dive bombing an enemy with your Ultimate. All in all, a pretty good line-up of options for both classes.

New Day 3 Bosses

FromSoftware has announced two new Day 3 bosses, but only one has been seen properly – the Balancers. They’re the seven warriors with wings seen in the first trailer, and based on impressions, they’re absolutely merciless, attacking all at once and hardly giving you a chance to breathe. Even more interesting is that one of them will be designated as the “leader” at one point, gaining buffs and wide sweeping attacks from which there’s no escape. While the Scholar is seemingly born for this fight, you’ll need all your wits and the most abject teamwork to survive.

New Dark Souls Bosses

Of course, it wouldn’t be Nightreign without bosses from other FromSoftware titles. Thus far, we’ve seen Artorias the Abysswalker from the legendary Dark Souls 1 DLC, but new gameplay from GameSpot highlighted another DLC boss – the Demon in Pain and the Demon from Below, as seen in Dark Souls 3: The Ringed City. Whether they’ll combine to form the Demon Prince is unknown, but they still look as menacing as ever.

The Great Hollows

When examined on its own, the new Shifting Earth, the Great Hollows, doesn’t seem like it’s really all that. After all, previous Shifting Earth conditions would transform a portion of the map, and that’s that. The Great Hollows, however, isn’t just that but more like an entire new location. A thick fog seemingly blankets everything (that’s ash, by the way), and there’s a lot more verticality – yes, even more so than in the current Shifting Earths. All in all, it’s easy to get lost and maybe fall to your death.

Shadow of the Erdtree Influence and The Crystal Curse

By the way, if you thought the verticality of the Great Hollows is similar to the Land of Shadow from Shadow of the Erdtree, you’re not the only one. Director Junya Ishizaki told GameSpot that, despite being unintentional, there may be a “bit of influence.””It’s one of those things [where] a lot of our staff have also been playing Shadow of the Erdtree as the development for Nightreign has been going on,” he said, “So there’s probably a little bit of influence there, but I don’t think [Erdtree’s influence is] necessarily intentional. It might even be almost like subconscious, but there’s definitely, I think, a bit of that for sure.”

Some areas throughout the Hollows present a new status effect called the Crystal Curse, and by clearing the key objective, you can obtain a buff that renders you immune to it. Also, speaking of doing things subconsciously…

Somehow, the Swamps Returned

“It’s definitely one of those things that [it] always just seems like [our game] ends up with a swamp,” said Ishizaki. Yes, the swamps have finally arrived in the DLC, and they’re not just of the poison variety. You’ll encounter Scarlet Rot swamps, swamps that inflict sleep, and so on. Unsurprisingly, they’re quite challenging, especially since enduring the pain and inhumanity of debilitating status effects ends with a fight against the swamp’s boss. The Scholar could certainly come in handy with those buffed items to combat status ailments, huh?

Forges For Re-Rolling Weapon Skills

It’s not all bad news when it comes to the new points of interest. Remember the Legendary Forge in the Crater? A more regular version can potentially crop up in Limveld. Defeat all the enemies and light it up to gain the option to re-roll a weapon skill. The catch? It’s completely random, so you’re just as likely to end up with an even worse skill for your current weapon as something better. Nevertheless, it’s a worthwhile option that just adds more to the build-crafting.

“Definitely A Little Bit Harder”

If you’re going into The Forsaken Hollows, expecting the difficulty to skyrocket like Shadow of the Erdtree for Elden Ring players, there’s some solace. Ishizaki told GameSpot about the challenges the team faced while balancing and ensuring that the DLC wasn’t “so hard that new players can’t get into it.” While it’s “definitely a little bit harder” than the base game, he feels that it’s “not ridiculous or anything like that, but that’s still within what we would consider to be a fair challenge.” Ishizaki also believes that even those who spent plenty of time on the base experience will have “a bit of that feeling like they had when they first played Nightreign, where there’s still a bit that they’re trying to figure out.”

Now, with the upcoming release of Elden Ring: Nightreign’s first major DLC – The Forsaken Hollow – swamps will be showing up in the multiplayer title as well. Director Junya Ishizaki spoke about this running joke in a recent interview with GameSpot where he acknowledged the existence of this meme, and how the idea of the studio’s titles always featuring swamps has taken a life of its own.

“We’re definitely aware of the [swamp] meme,” said Ishizaki. “It’s not like there’s a rule or any sort of policy here where it’s like we have to have a swamp in there, but it always seems to be [that before you realize] someone’s come up with the idea, it’s already sort of in there, and it’s just sort of taken a life of its own.”

He also acknowledged the humour behind how the base game of Elden Ring: Nightreign didn’t have a swamp, and how it’s finally getting one thanks to The Forsaken Hollow. He went on to note that, while there isn’t any specific rule or mandate at FromSoftware to always feature swamps, the geographical feature always ends up showing up in the studio’s games.

“The main game for Nightreign did not have a swamp, so I do see what you mean now, having it added after the fact with the DLC,” he said. “But yeah, it’s definitely one of those things that [it] always just seems like [our game] ends up with a swamp. Even if there’s not a specific rule like, ‘Oh yeah, we have to put that in there,’ [that’s] just always how it kind of ends up.”

It is worth noting that, while almost every title developed by FromSoftware has indeed featured a swamp since Demon’s Souls, each depiction has been a unique take on the biome when compared to other games. Elden Ring’s main swamp area, for instance, is a lot more dangerous and has immense implications for the world’s lore due to the nature of Caelid. Dark Souls, on the other hand, included an entire society built out along the walls of a vertical swamp with Blighttown.

Elden Ring: Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollow was officially unveiled last month, and will bring with it a host of new content, including two new playable characters: the Scholar and the Undertaker. Along with this, the DLC will also bring with it changes to the map, as well as a new Shifting Earth effect dubbed The Great Hollow. The game will also feature new challenges for players to take on in the form of brand new boss fights.

Elden Ring: Nightreign is available on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S, and The Forsaken Hollow is slated for release later this week. For more details, check out our review of the base game. Also check out details about the Undertaker and the Scholar.

These include improved melee attack power, improved attack power when two-handing, improved chain attack finishers (which should pair well with the new Undertaker), and more. The conditions for triggering improved damage negation at low HP and the Blue-Feathered Branchsword have also been “broadened,” though they’re also less effective.

Several relic effects like improved guard counter, improved critical hits, and more have also received buffs, but once again, improved damage negation at low HP is less effective. Despite director Junya Ishizaki insisting that the DLC is only a “little bit harder,” FromSoftware is certainly cutting off the best defensive tools.

Elden Ring Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows launches on December 4th for PC, Xbox Series X/S, PS5, PS4, and Xbox One. Check out the full patch notes here.

ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN – Patch Notes 1.03

New features

• Added support for The Forsaken Hollows.
  – If you own the DLC The Forsaken Hollows, it will be displayed in the lower right corner of the title screen.
• Added a display of the currently equipped relics in the Character Selection menu.
  – You can check the effects of equipped relics by toggling the display.
• Added a feature to set names when registering Relics presets in the Relic Rites menu.
• Set names can be changed in the All Presets section.
• The order of presets for each character can now be changed in the All Presets section of the Relic Rites menu.
  – In the Relic Rites menu, you can change the order of presets (but not the order of the character themselves) in the All Relics section.
• Added Deep Large Scenic Flatstone to the Collector Signboard shop.
• The map’s layer display can now be toggled in the Results menu.
• The relics equipped by each player can now be displayed in the Results menu.
  – Relics can only be displayed for sessions played in version 1.02 or later.
• Players with a Personal Objective that requires defeating a specific target while Reliving a Remembrance can now embark on Expeditions with players whose Personal Objective does not require defeating a specific target.
  – Personal Objectives that do not require destroying the target will only appear for one player per Expedition.
• The flask count will now be highlighted in the following situations:
• When the flask count is at the maximum capacity,
• When an enemy-induced effect that influences the flask is triggered.
• The vertical position of the compass’ rune icon will now be displayed if the runes dropped upon death are significantly above or below the player character.
• You can now highlight specific events that occur on a map layer that is on a different level from the character’s location in the map menu.
• Adjusted the Dormant Power selection screen so that the HP gauge and other UI elements remain visible while the screen is displayed.
• Adjusted the weapon lineup in Limveld’s shops.
• Added Fire Pots to the shop inventory inside the Spirit Shetler.
• The target-lock on enemies that are behind when the tombstone summoned by Raider’s Ultimate Art appears no longer gets released.

Speaking to GameSpot in a new preview, Ishizaki discussed the challenges post-release in reaching the right balance. It was seemingly a “lot of trouble.”

“I think balancing is just so subjective, so a lot of our thoughts post-release working up to the DLC were how can we get the balancing in mind with what we were initially envisioning, and also with that balancing set, how can we take a different approach and devise new enemies, new characters, and stuff like that to play into that and utilise the new balancing that we are working with.”

An uptick in difficulty is to be expected – look no further than Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring’s expansion. However, the Nightreign team doesn’t want The Forsaken Hollows to be “so hard that new players can’t get into it.” In that sense, he also feels that even veterans of the base game will have plenty to figure out.

“So whenever people who have played the main game extensively go into the DLC content, they’ll be able to have a bit of that feeling like they had when they first played Nightreign, where there’s still a bit that they’re trying to figure out,” he said.

Elden Ring Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows launches on December 4th and introduces two new playable Nightfarers: The support-focused Scholar and the damage-heavy Undertaker. It also adds two Night 3 bosses, including the Balancers, seven winged warriors that attack all at once. There’s also a new Shifting Earth type, The Great Hollows, with its own objectives.

The Ultimate, “Communion,” can also heal nearby “threaded” allies, which is ideal for some of the new boss fights (including the seven-in-one threat teased in the announcement trailer). However, the Scholar also leans into a relatively underrated mechanic – item use. Along with storing additional resources, he can also level them up or bestow different effects when using items.

Analyze, the nifty little observation mechanic, works in tandem with his Ultimate to debuff enemies. The longer the analysis, the more severe the debuffs. While you’re still encouraged to enter the fray now and again, the Scholar is a strong support for those who prefer to hang back.

Elden Ring Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows launches on December 4th for Xbox Series X/S, PS5, Xbox One, PS4, and PC. For a more detailed breakdown, check out GameSpot’s impressions below.

GameSpot’s exclusive breakdown offers more details, starting with the skill, “Trance.” Upon activation, the Undertaker’s speed will increase to mirror dashing (and no stamina is consumed) while her Toughness and combo attack power are buffed. She also gets a dash step instead of a dodge, and when the Ultimate bar is full, a portion is consumed to increase these buffs further.

“Confluence” is her passive that allows for activating your Ultimate for free if an ally recently used theirs. It essentially grants a free charge, and can be comboed with skills like Duchess’s Restage for massive damage. Finally, her Ultimate, “Loathsome Hex,” which does pretty much what you’ve already seen.

The Undertaker will essentially speed towards a target and hit them with an “uncanny bone” for extensive damage. The distance traveled is pretty insane, and while you need to be careful of any obstacles in your path, it’s like Nightreign’s version of Thundercrash.

Elden Ring Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows launches on December 4th for Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One, PS4, PS5, and PC. Check out the Scholar’s reveal here.

Packing a cane sword, he’s seemingly capable of slowing multiple foes at once, but it gets even better. His Ultimate involves linking several enemies together, so attacking one deals damage to the others. This is exemplified in the fight against Libra, where players must battle their clones (known as Condemned).

Since they scale with players, they can be annoying to handle alongside the Nightlord but link them together, unleash an Onslaught Stake from the Wylder, and the odds suddenly become more favorable. Of course, it remains to be seen how the Scholar’s abilities will change as you unlock different Relics (including his own personal belongings).

Another Nightfarer is due to be revealed, so stay tuned for more details. Elden Ring Nightreign – The Forsaken Hollows launches on December 4th and adds a new Shifting Earth condition, two Day Three bosses, and more for $15.