Patience is a virtue, but in Elden Ring: Nightreign, it is starting to feel like an unpatched bug. Kadokawa, the parent company of developer FromSoftware, has confirmed that new DLC for the multiplayer co-op game is still targeting a release by the end of March 2026. That assurance arrived in a recent financial report to investors, and it should have been good news. Instead, it landed in the middle of a small but noisy storm on Steam, where the Nightreign Deluxe Upgrade Pack has slipped to a 'Mostly Negative' user review rating as players grow tired of waiting for concrete details.
What Kadokawa Has Actually Promised
In its financial report, Kadokawa told investors it is aiming for further sales growth for Elden Ring: Nightreign, the original Elden Ring, and its DLC. The company also noted that multiple game titles are in the development pipeline. FromSoftware is currently developing the Nightreign DLC, which is planned for release in FY2025, plus Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, planned for 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2, and The Duskbloods, also planned for 2026.
| FromSoftware Project | Planned Release | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring: Nightreign DLC | FY2025, ending March 31, 2026 | Multiplayer co-op expansion |
| Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition | 2026 | Nintendo Switch 2 |
| The Duskbloods | 2026 | New FromSoftware title |
FY2025 in this context means Kadokawa's current financial year, which ends on March 31, 2026. So the DLC has a hard-ish deadline: it should arrive by that date. The report also revealed that Nightreign had performed well beyond initial expectations, which makes the silence around its post-launch content even more puzzling for fans.
Why the Deluxe Upgrade Pack Is Taking Heat
Part of the frustration comes from the Steam storefront itself. The Nightreign DLC was described there as being available by Q4 2025. As 2026 gets underway, that window has passed without a major reveal, a trailer, or even a firm date. Players who bought the Deluxe Upgrade Pack feel like they paid for a promise rather than a product.
One negative reviewer wrote on November 1: 'We're mid-Q4 2025. No news, no teasers, total silence. If you're thinking about buying Deluxe Upgrade, wait until we get actual news about the content. I can't recommend you a promise.' Another said: 'It's been half a year now, still no dlc or any new characters in sight even though they got leaked a bit ago. Right now this is a complete scam, as even the soundtrack isnt even full.' A third reviewer promised to switch their negative review to positive 'once FromSoft announces something.'
Those are raw community reactions, not an official statement from FromSoftware or Kadokawa. Still, they show how quickly goodwill can curdle when a release window is the only concrete information available.
Deep of Night and the Content Drought
Nightreign did receive its ultra-hard difficulty mode, Deep of Night, back in September. Dataminers had already discovered it in August, so even that addition arrived with little surprise. Beyond Deep of Night, however, there has been very little firm news about what additional content could be on the way. It is worth noting that even though Kadokawa's financial report guarantees the Nightreign DLC by the end of March 2026, that does not necessarily mean it had to wait until 2026; an earlier launch before the end of calendar year 2025 was possible. With 2026 here, though, the focus has shifted to the fiscal deadline.
The Co-op Experience at the Center of It All
IGN's 7/10 Elden Ring: Nightreign review captured the game's best-case scenario: 'When Elden Ring Nightreign is played exactly as it was designed to be played, it's one of the finest examples of a three-player co-op game around.' The review also pointed out that a lack of crossplay, duo matchmaking, and built-in communication tools makes it hard to create the conditions needed to have that kind of experience unless players bring two real-life friends on every run.
This context matters because Nightreign is not a solo power fantasy in the traditional Elden Ring sense. It is a three-player co-op sprint through a hostile, shifting world. When the matchmaking and communication systems do not cooperate, the magic can fade fast. Additional characters, bosses, and quality-of-life improvements could go a long way, which is why the Deluxe Upgrade Pack's negative reviews sting so much.
What Comes Next?
Kadokawa's report confirms that FromSoftware has plenty on its plate. The pipeline includes the Nightreign DLC, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2, and The Duskbloods. For Nightreign players, however, the immediate question is simpler: when will the DLC actually show up, and what will it contain?
Until an official teaser, trailer, or release date arrives, the Steam review section will likely remain restless. The good news is that the DLC is still officially on the way. The less good news is that 'planned for release in FY2025' is a corporate phrase, not a gameplay reveal. Players want to see new characters, new bosses, and a reason to return to Limveld. If FromSoftware can deliver before March 31, 2026, those negative reviews may flip faster than a Nightreign boss can wipe a careless squad.
With the clock ticking toward the end of Kadokawa's fiscal year, the next few months could decide whether Nightreign's post-launch story is one of redemption or one of missed potential. For now, the community is watching, waiting, and leaving reviews that say exactly how it feels.
As detailed in Eurogamer, publisher timelines tied to fiscal years often remain intentionally non-specific until marketing beats lock in, which helps explain why Elden Ring: Nightreign’s DLC window can be “confirmed” to investors while still feeling vague to players on Steam. That gap between corporate guidance (FY2025 ending March 31, 2026) and storefront expectations (a softer “Q4 2025” implication) is exactly where Deluxe Upgrade Pack frustration grows—especially in a co-op game where new bosses, characters, and quality-of-life fixes can materially change the day-to-day matchmaking experience.