Honestly, walking through the Shadow Realm felt like the end of an era. You’ve probably felt it too. That specific, hollow ache when the final boss falls and the credits roll, leaving you standing in a silent arena with nothing but 500,000 runes and a sense of "wait, is that really it?"
It’s the question that’s been haunting every Tarnished since 2024: will there be another Elden Ring DLC?
The short answer is complicated. If you're looking for a Shadow of the Erdtree sequel—a massive, $40 expansion that adds a whole new continent to the base game—you should probably lower your expectations. Hidetaka Miyazaki, the mastermind behind the madness, was pretty blunt about it in a 2024 interview with Zhihu. He called Shadow of the Erdtree the "first and last" DLC for the main game. He explained that FromSoftware prefers to give players one giant, cohesive chunk of adventure rather than nickel-and-diming them with small map updates.
But wait. Don't uninstall the game just yet.
Things have changed since those early interviews. As of early 2026, the Elden Ring universe has fractured into something much bigger and, frankly, a bit more confusing.
The Nightreign Factor: The DLC You Didn't Expect
While everyone was busy looking at the Lands Between, FromSoftware pulled a fast one. They released Elden Ring: Nightreign in May 2025. It wasn't exactly Elden Ring 2, but it wasn't a tiny spin-off either.
Think of it as a co-op focused "middle ground" that uses the Elden Ring engine but focuses on survival and team-based combat. It sold 5 million copies in its first couple of months. Because of that massive success, FromSoftware’s parent company, Kadokawa, essentially gave them a blank check to keep the momentum going.
This is where the "new DLC" rumors actually have teeth. In a November 2025 earnings report, Kadokawa confirmed they are developing additional content for Nightreign set to drop before the end of the 2025 fiscal year—which means by March 31, 2026.
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- The Forsaken Hollows: This was the first major drop for Nightreign in December 2025.
- The "March 2026" Expansion: This is the big one people are currently whispering about. It’s expected to bring in more "Nightfarers" (playable classes) and potentially iconic bosses from the main game’s lore that we never actually got to fight.
Why the "Base Game" Might Still Get Love
If you’re a purist who only cares about the original 2022 masterpiece, there’s a glimmer of hope, though it’s not exactly a "DLC" in the traditional sense.
Rumors and leaked shipping manifests suggest an Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is in the works for the "Nintendo Switch 2" (or whatever the 2026 hardware ends up being called). Usually, when FromSoftware does a "Complete Edition" or a "Remaster," they include small quality-of-life tweaks or even tiny secret encounters.
Remember Dark Souls: Scholar of the First Sin? It wasn't a new DLC, but it changed enemy placements and added the Aldia boss fight. There’s a non-zero chance that a 2026 "Tarnished Edition" could offer a similar refresh for the original game.
The Financial Reality of the Lands Between
Look at the numbers. They don't lie.
The Elden Ring franchise hit nearly 50 million sales by the end of 2025. To put that in perspective, the entire Dark Souls trilogy took over a decade to reach 40 million. From a business standpoint, Kadokawa would be insane to let the IP go cold.
Even if Miyazaki says "no more DLC for the base game," that doesn't rule out:
- A Full Sequel: Miyazaki famously said he doesn't want to "put a pin" in the possibility of an Elden Ring 2.
- Cross-Media Content: There’s persistent talk of a film or series project, which often gets announced alongside "commemorative" game updates.
What Most People Get Wrong About FromSoftware
People always point to Dark Souls 3 having two DLCs as "proof" that Elden Ring should have more. But Shadow of the Erdtree was effectively two DLCs smashed together. It was so big it basically functioned as a sequel.
FromSoftware is currently stretched thin. They’ve got The Duskbloods (a brand new IP) slated for later in 2026. They aren't the kind of studio that maintains a "live service" model on their single-player games for five years. Once they say a story is done, they usually move on to the next nightmare.
Your 2026 Elden Ring Roadmap
If you’re waiting for news, keep your eyes on these specific dates:
- February 2026: The 4-year anniversary of the original release. This is the prime window for a "Tarnished Edition" announcement or a teaser for a final balance patch.
- March 2026: The deadline for the promised Nightreign expansion content. If you want "new" Elden Ring combat this year, this is your best bet.
- Summer 2026: If we haven't heard anything about a sequel by the big summer showcases, it’s safe to assume FromSoftware has fully shifted focus to The Duskbloods.
Honestly, the "Age of Abundance" for Elden Ring content is likely over. We’re in the "Age of Maintenance" now. If you're itching for that specific high, your best move is to dive into Nightreign or start keeping an eye on the modding scene, which has basically been creating its own "unofficial DLCs" (like Elden Ring: Reforged or Convergence) that are arguably as high-quality as official expansions anyway.
Actionable Next Steps for the Tarnished
- Check your Nightreign version: If you haven't touched the game since the 1.03.1 patch, you’re missing the Forsaken Hollows tweaks.
- Watch the March Financials: Follow Kadokawa’s investor relations page if you want the absolute first word on delays or secret projects; they usually leak the good stuff to stockholders first.
- Back up your saves: If a "Tarnished Edition" or a major 2026 patch does drop, FromSoftware's history with save compatibility across "Complete" versions is... spotty at best.
The story of the Lands Between might be finished, but the world FromSoftware built is too big to stay quiet for long.