Elden Ring Nightreign acquired its first main DLC in early December with The Forsaken Hollows. Nonetheless, Steam evaluations present that the growth isn’t taking place properly with gamers.
On December 4, 2025, The Forsaken Hollows was launched, the primary main DLC for Elden Ring’s co-op spin-off Nightreign. Priced at $15, the growth brings two new characters – the Scholar together with his spellbook and the agile, mace-wielding Gravedigger – three new bosses, and a redesign of the acquainted Limveld map by way of the occasion “The Nice Hole.”
So, really, it’s a great combine to maintain followers proud of The Forsaken Hollows. However the evaluations on Steam inform a special story round 24 hours after the DLC’s launch: As of December 5, 2025, 11:00 a.m.) solely 49 p.c of the almost 2,000 evaluations are optimistic. Steam punishes this with an unpleasant yellow Combined ranking.A profitable launch appears completely different. However what’s the motive for this?
Not sufficient content material within the DLC?
Of their evaluations, followers primarily criticize the restricted content material of The Forsaken Hollows. Many gamers discover it absurd that the growth doesn’t introduce a single new weapon to the sport other than the 2 normal weapons for the brand new characters. Gamers are additionally left empty-handed relating to new skins for current characters. Person NightLizard writes on Steam: “If I keep in mind accurately, earlier free updates had extra content material than this DLC.”
The 2 new nightwalkers, Scholar and Undertaker, are fairly profitable total, however there’s room for enchancment when it comes to balancing: the Scholar is at present too weak, whereas the Undertaker feels overpowered compared.
As well as, the gameplay of Nightreign is designed to be performed by three gamers. Followers see it as a missed alternative that the crew at From Software program didn’t embrace a 3rd new Nightwalker within the package deal.
There may be additionally criticism of the modified map: For instance, Baraho writes that though the map is visually interesting, it gives far too little selection when it comes to gameplay. As well as, crossing the map is usually not possible on account of new, exaggerated variations in top: “You possibly can fall off the map and die anyplace,” warns person Shenron’s third Horn.
Total, followers had merely hoped for far more from the primary growth. It stays to be seen whether or not FromSoftware will treatment the state of affairs with a short-term replace, no less than when it comes to balancing, in addition to what plans the studio has for additional DLCs for Elden Ring Nightreign.
