The first expansion for Elden Ring: Nightreign is nearly here. The Forsaken Hollows lands on December 4, adding two playable Nightfarers, two new boss encounters in Limveld, and a fresh Shifting Earth event that reshapes the map with a cavernous underworld. It’s a paid add-on and requires the base game.
Release date, platforms, and what’s included
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Release date | December 4, 2025 |
| Platforms | PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, PC |
| Base game required | Yes, Elden Ring: Nightreign is needed to access the DLC |
| New playable Nightfarers | Scholar, Undertaker |
| New bosses | Two boss encounters in Limveld |
| New zone/event | Shifting Earth: The Great Hollow |
| Pre-purchase bonus | Digital artbook and mini soundtrack (downloadable apps) when purchased before release |
| Edition notes | Included with Deluxe Edition and Collector’s Edition; the previously sold Deluxe Upgrade Pack is renamed to The Forsaken Hollows DLC |
New Nightfarers: Scholar and Undertaker
Forsaken Hollows adds two playable Nightfarers that broaden team compositions and build paths:
- Scholar: An academic who travels the Lands Between. Built around high Arcane and battlefield observation, the kit emphasizes reading the fight to create advantages for the party.
- Undertaker: An abbess tasked with slaying the Nightlord. Leaning on Strength and Faith, she dispatches enemies up close with purpose and consistency.
Both characters slot into Nightreign’s co-op rhythm—three players pushing through a three-day expedition—by covering distinct roles. Expect the Scholar to set tempo and windows, while Undertaker drives front-line pressure and objective clears.
New threats in Limveld
Two bosses join the roster of end-of-run hurdles. While their full move sets and rewards aren’t detailed, the expansion frames them as fresh anchors for Night One/Two routing and Third Day prep. Paired with the new zone event below, runs should see more variety in the late game: different escalation patterns, altered healing windows, and shifting demands on your relics and consumables.
Shifting Earth: The Great Hollow
The expansion’s headline environment change is a new Shifting Earth condition—The Great Hollow—that carves a vast cavity beneath Limveld. The area is lined with exotic ruins, temple fragments, sacred towers hinting at an older civilization, and crystals that emit a life-draining miasma.
In practice, Shifting Earth events alter routing, traversal, and stamina management. A life-draining hazard forces tighter resource planning, and verticality around ruins and towers should create new ways to break line-of-sight, pick fights on your terms, or skip chokepoints entirely. Expect boss arenas and miniboss placements to leverage the low-visibility pockets and funneling paths that these crystal fields create.
Pre-purchase bonus and edition notes
- Pre-purchase bonus: Buying The Forsaken Hollows before release grants the Elden Ring: Nightreign digital artbook and mini soundtrack as downloadable apps. These become available immediately after purchase and can be claimed through the same account used to buy the DLC.
- Editions and ownership: The DLC is included with the Deluxe Edition and Collector’s Edition. The prior “Deluxe Upgrade Pack” is now labeled The Forsaken Hollows DLC; check your library or purchase history to avoid duplicate purchases.
Note: The DLC is not standalone. You’ll need the base game installed to access any of this content.
FAQ
Do I need to start a new save?
Nothing here indicates a new save is required. Nightreign’s DLC typically layers into your existing progression and expedition flow.
How do the new characters fit into co-op?
Scholar favors setup, debuffing, and situational advantages; Undertaker adds a high-reliability frontline with Strength/Faith scaling. In three-player teams, pairing either with a ranged damage specialist or hybrid support should keep encounters moving.
Will The Great Hollow appear every run?
Shifting Earth conditions rotate. Expect The Great Hollow to be part of that pool, changing traversal, loot routes, and endgame pacing when active.
Forsaken Hollows aims to do the thing Nightreign expansions do best: add new roles to play, remix the map with a high-impact condition, and raise the ceiling on late-run fights without disrupting the core three-day cadence. If you’ve been waiting for more reasons to reroute Limveld, December 4 brings them in a focused package.
