Hallowed Concepts is the fourth paid expansion for Risk of Rain 2, and it is out now. Published by 2K and developed by Gearbox Software, it pushes the roguelite deeper into the cult-like world of N’Kuhana, layering horror-tinged stages, curses, and new enemies onto the base game’s run-based loop. Two new playable survivors anchor the release, alongside a fresh set of timed challenges called the Trials of N’kuhana.
Quick answer: Hallowed Concepts launched October 8, 2026 for $14.99. It adds Acolyte and Enforcer, new stages, bosses, curses, and the Trials of N’kuhana. Enforcer is unlocked by default; Acolyte must be unlocked.
Price, platforms, and release
The expansion released on October 8, 2026, the same day it appeared at The Triple-i Initiative showcase. Steam lists it at $14.99. The launch platform card confirms availability across PC and current-generation consoles.
- Steam and Epic Games Store (PC)
- PlayStation 5
- Xbox Series X|S
- Nintendo Switch
On PC, the expansion has its own Steam listing (app ID 3055670), where availability is reflected first. You add it on top of an existing copy of the base game rather than as a standalone download.
Acolyte and Enforcer: the two new survivors
The roster grows by two. Enforcer is available from the start of a run. Acolyte has to be unlocked before she can be played. The two sit at opposite ends of how you approach a fight: one stacks close-range combo pressure, the other holds a line and turns incoming damage back on enemies.
Acolyte
The Acolyte fights at close range with a glaive, favoring chained strikes over one massive blow. She weaves across the battlefield, turning some of her own vitality into strength. Lost health and healing received are partly stored for her to recover later as she carves through foes.
| Ability | Range | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Blade Slice | Melee | Basic glaive strikes |
| Sacrifice | Close | Marks an enemy and channels power for a burst of massive damage |
| Bola Throw | Ranged | Thrown projectiles |
| Blade Sling | Area | Wide spinning attack for clearing groups |
Sacrifice is central to her kit. Activating it blacks out the screen, followed by a flash of bright green eyes before combat resumes. It marks a foe, channels the Death God’s power through the target, and tears them apart. Her strength relies on exchanging health, so the combo’s damage comes at a tangible cost.
Enforcer
The Enforcer returns from the original Risk of Rain as a defensive vanguard. He pairs an unbreakable front with tactical movement, carrying a riot shield and a heavy weapon. Instead of standing still as a pure tank, he blocks, parries, and repositions to cover a team.
| Ability | Type | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Trenchbroom | Attack | Short-range shotgun blast |
| Steel Protection | Defense | Blocks everything in front of the shield and parries projectiles back |
| Shield Tackle | Movement | Charges forward to close the distance into a fight |
| Rally Point | Area | Shockwave that knocks enemies away and leaves a barrier restored on each kill |
Steel Protection rewards timing instead of simply keeping a guard raised. A perfectly timed block displays PARRIED! on screen and redirects dangerous projectiles toward their owners. Shield Tackle lets him rush into the fray and take up a position among the fighters. Rally Point knocks foes back and creates a barrier that rebuilds with each kill, making him a survivor who keeps a group secure.
The Trials of N’kuhana
The Trials of N’kuhana are timed challenges that pull survivors into pocket realms, each with its own objective and rewards. They arrive in three forms, and a single timer is shared across all of them. That shared clock forces a choice: attempt another trial or return to your run with the power you have already collected.
- Winnowings of Survival — endure the pain and outlast the threat
- Predation — hunt down and eliminate prey
- Mortality — race for your very soul
In the launch footage, survivors drop through a swirling green portal and traverse glowing floating platforms while fighting monsters, which is how the trial stages present themselves. Scattered glowing pages also appear as pickups during combat, collected while dodging swarms of enemies.
New stages, bosses, and hexes
Hallowed Concepts opens up additional regions of Petrichor V as players pursue the secrets of the N’tormat. They include the returning Damp Caverns and its foul depths, the villages in the Tenebrous Quagmire, and the holy terrain of The Lurid Basilica.
Curses are the expansion’s recurring threat. In the trailer these show up as hexes, fields of glowing green rune stones that float through arenas and track players during fights. You endure them while clearing the stage rather than removing them outright.
New bosses arrive alongside the stages. The footage reveals a massive floating organic entity and towering armored constructs among the opponents waiting in these regions.
Beyond the survivors and trials, the expansion also brings new item types, additional music, and spell-casting effects. Characters are shown channeling vertical energy beams, explosive flame orbs, and ground-targeted rings to clear groups of enemies.
Skins and the overcharge meter
Five survivors appear together in new cosmetic skins, lined up against a dark background in the trailer. The variants carry the expansion’s horror theme, with spikes, mushrooms, and horns among the designs.
The closing combat stretch centers on a red beacon that overcharges past its limit. The on-screen meter climbs through 98%, 100%, and 101%, then surges well beyond, passing 468% and peaking at 652% as the fighting intensifies. It is the clearest sign of how far the expansion lets a run scale before the launch card drops.
With both survivors live, the trials running on a shared clock, and new stages and bosses in rotation, Hallowed Concepts is a structural addition rather than a seasonal event. Enforcer gives a team a survivor who can block, parry, and hold a position, a role the game has not had in this exact form since the original Risk of Rain, while Acolyte rewards players comfortable keeping a melee combo alive under pressure.
