Elden Ring Nightreign DLC Release Date: Latest Leaks, Dev Hints, and What to Expect

After months of rumor-chasing and forum tea leaves, we finally have something solid on Elden Ring: Nightreign. Not a trailer, not a screenshot, but the next best thing: the parent company says the DLC is real and it has a deadline.

What Kadokawa just told investors

Kadokawa, which owns FromSoftware, confirmed in its latest financial briefing that Nightreign is getting DLC, and it is in active development. The company also gave it a runway: the add-on is due before the end of fiscal year 2025, which in Kadokawa-speak means by March 31, 2026 at the latest. Not tomorrow, but not vaporware either.

"[Nightreign] performed well beyond initial expectations."

That little line from the briefing is doing a lot of heavy lifting, especially given how the game is doing right now.

• Nightreign DLC: officially in development, targeted for release by March 31, 2026
• Performance note: Kadokawa says the game exceeded its early expectations
• Other projects flagged: Elden Ring Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2, plus a new title called The Duskbloods planned for 2026

The awkward silence

Here is the weird part: despite all that, FromSoftware itself has stayed completely quiet on Nightreign DLC. No posts. No teaser. No screenshots. No roadmap. Nothing since the Deep of Night mode landed back in September. Fans are understandably antsy, and the radio silence is not helping. But the investor filing makes it clear work is happening behind the curtain.

Why this DLC actually matters

Nightreign could use a win. The player count has been sliding, and recent reviews have dipped. Per SteamDB, the current player base is the lowest it has been since launch. So this DLC is not just a content drop; it is a second impression.

If FromSoft wants to pull people back in, it cannot just toss a few new bosses and swords into the mix. It needs that old Elden Ring spark: meaningful world-building, exploration that feels dangerous and rewarding, and some fresh mechanics that give veterans a reason to return and newcomers a reason to finally jump in.

To be fair, Nightreign was always an experimental swing, and Kadokawa calling the early results a success backs that up. If the DLC hits, this could be the redemption arc that turns the narrative around and puts Nightreign back on the shortlist for anyone chasing a souls-like with a multiplayer hook.

So, when are we actually playing it?

The window is wide: now through March 31, 2026. I would love to say sooner, but until FromSoft stops lurking and starts talking, that is the only date that exists. I am cautiously optimistic. Your turn: do you think we get the DLC this fiscal year, or was this briefing mostly to calm everyone down? Drop your prediction below.