According to IGN, Kadokawa Corporation has confirmed that FromSoftware’s Elden Ring Nightreign DLC won’t arrive until the end of March 2026 at the latest. The parent company revealed this timeline in its recent financial report, stating the DLC is “planned for release in FY2025” which means by March 31, 2026. Meanwhile, the game’s Deluxe Upgrade Pack has plummeted to a “Mostly Negative” rating on Steam as players revolt against the silence. Reviewers specifically note that we’re already in Q4 2025 with “no news, no teasers, total silence” about the promised content. The financial report did confirm that Nightreign has “performed well beyond initial expectations” despite the community backlash.
The Steam review bomb effect
Here’s the thing about modern gaming communities – they don’t tolerate radio silence well. We’re seeing players essentially holding their positive reviews hostage until FromSoftware provides actual details. One reviewer put it bluntly: “Right now this is a complete scam.” Another said they’d change their negative review to positive “once FromSoft announces something.” This isn’t just casual disappointment – it’s organized frustration targeting the Deluxe Upgrade Pack specifically because that’s where players feel they paid for unfulfilled promises.
business-behind-the-silence”>The business behind the silence
So why the complete lack of communication? FromSoftware has multiple irons in the fire, including Elden Ring Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 and a new game called The Duskbloods, both planned for 2026. The company is essentially managing a portfolio of major releases while trying to support Nightreign. But here’s the problem: when you sell a Deluxe Upgrade Pack that includes future DLC, you create expectations. And right now, those expectations are colliding with corporate development timelines. It’s a classic case of marketing promises outpacing development reality.
When silence costs goodwill
What’s fascinating here is that Nightreign actually performed “well beyond expectations” according to Kadokawa’s own report. The game has been successful! Yet the complete lack of DLC updates is eroding all that goodwill. Remember that ultra-hard Deep of Night mode that dataminers found back in August? That released in September with minimal fanfare. Basically, FromSoftware seems to be operating on “we’ll release it when it’s ready” while the community wants at least some acknowledgment that work is happening. In an era where games like Baldur’s Gate 3 set new standards for developer-player communication, this radio silence feels particularly deafening.
The waiting game continues
Now we know the DLC is guaranteed by March 2026, but that’s a long time for players to stay angry. The question isn’t whether the content will eventually arrive – Kadokawa has committed to shareholders that it will. The real question is whether FromSoftware can repair the damaged trust before then. A simple teaser, some concept art, literally anything beyond total silence could defuse this situation. Because right now, they’re proving that you can have a commercially successful game while simultaneously alienating your most dedicated fans. And that’s not a sustainable strategy for any live service title.
