With Dark Arisen, the Dragon’s Dogma 2 expansion that so many fans have been hoping for is finally coming in October 2026. We were able to explore the new snowy area and take down monsters for the first time.
For over two years, fans ofDragon’s Dogma 2held out, waiting for the announcement of a major expansion. The DLC had already rounded out the main game in the previous installment, so why not do the same for the second one?
In June 2026, their patience was finally rewarded: During a Nintendo showcase, Capcom announced a Switch version of Dragon’s Dogma 2 and, almost as an afterthought, the Dark Arisen expansion. It’s set to release on October 9, 2026, and will take us to the snow-covered mountains of Norgan.
We’ve already had a chance to explore the area for about an hour: While exploring the icy region didn’t really get us excited at first, the final boss battle really got our hearts racing and sparked our anticipation for Dark Arisen.
Dragon’s Dogma 2, but in white?
For our hands-on session, we’re dropped off on the outskirts of a small village consisting of a few modest wooden huts. The first thing that stands out: the snowy landscape with its Scandinavian vibe is very well done.
Coniferous trees grow in the valleys, and a few blades of grass peek out from among the snowfields. Further up, it gets really frosty: the ruins of ancient fortresses rise up between rock and ice, with the wind whistling through the hollow towers. You could almost forget that here in Munich, the sun is beating down from the sky at over 30 degrees.
But as soon as we start walking, one thing quickly becomes clear: We’re already familiar with most of it from the game. Instead of wolves, there are now white wolves; instead of the cyclops, a frost giant; the bandits have bundled up; and the same dinosaurs roam around as in the main game.
Exploration and combat also play out exactly as we’re used to, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing. After all, both are considered strengths of Dragon’s Dogma 2 and bring us a lot of joy here as well. However, some areas are practically overrun with enemies, and we stumble from one battle into the next.
The Big Changes
But there’s one new mechanic we can already try out: Enemies in the DLC now frequently drop so-called relics. These are items that we can’t identify and are initially useless to us.
First, we have to have them appraised by an expert—kind of like on *Bares für Rares*. Instead of going to Horst Lichter, though, we head to Jiera in the village, who apparently knows a thing or two about antiques. For a few Rift Crystals, she’ll take a look at our finds and identify them.
We then get a wide variety of weapons, gear, or valuable items in return, such as Rift Crystals. The appraisal is dirt cheap—for half a dozen artifacts, we pay just 90 Rift Crystals. Anyone who’s already put a few hours into *Dragon’s Dogma 2* probably has thousands of these crystals.
Aside from that, there are usually new, DLC-exclusive items available upon completion, such as a Norgan axe or a ring that revives you once. Weapons and armor are often said to be stronger than their normal counterparts, and some even unlock new, special skills.
We haven’t even been able to see a second major new feature in Dark Arisen yet, because it’s hidden within the main game’s areas. The locked doors that have always been found in some caves and basements now lead to a total of 12 new dungeons featuring powerful enemies and valuable loot.
We also haven’t been able to try out the new character creation yet. Among other things, it promises new hairstyles, tattoos, and the ability to customize faces down to the finest detail. Once in the game, we’ll also be able to make our character even more attractive by visiting a new NPC.
The Climax Comes at the End
As if that weren’t enough, the dragon spews a blue slime onto the ground with its putrid breath, from which a horde of undead rises and charges toward us.
But the boss fight isn’t just impressively staged—it’s also way more fun than taking down ordinary beasts. While I expertly hack away at the undead, I dodge the dragon’s claws and wings and try to hit its weak spot in the chest with special attacks. As usual, I can also climb up the beast for a while before it throws me off.
Eventually, the dragon is weakened enough that we manage to do something incredible: With a mighty blow, we sever its head. The neck lurches around disoriented, and the dragon falls to the ground. The battle is won.
But wait: The creature actually gets back up and continues to fight. To our horror, even the head and a severed arm regrow. The dragon swings a massive blow and knocks us to the ground. Before our opponent can devour us, a mysterious woman appears, intent on confronting the beast.
So the demo ends with a bang, and we’ve definitely been piqued: Are there more of these brilliantly staged boss battles in the expansion? Who is this woman, and what’s this all about anyway? If Dark Arisen can shine in terms of story and boss battles, then perhaps an exciting DLC awaits everyone who wants to play more Dragon’s Dogma 2.
Editor’s Verdict
The battles against the giant enemies in Dragon’s Dogma 2 were one of my biggest highlights. But after dozens of hours, I knew almost every creature, its attacks, and its weak points by heart. I was therefore really hoping that the expansion would breathe some new life into the battles, but so far I’ve been rather disappointed: Almost all enemy types in Dark Arisen already seem familiar to me. What I’ve seen of the DLC so far is just a rehash of the main game.
One exception is the undead dragon, and this is precisely where I’m hoping for even more unique boss battles that will surprise me in some way. If Dark Arisen also delivers an exciting story, I’m on board; otherwise, I can only recommend the DLC to those who can’t get enough of Dragon’s Dogma 2.
