Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen guide

Dark Arisen adds Norgan, twelve Lost Rites dungeons and a relic-based equipment loop to Dragon's Dogma 2. Start through Brant in Vernworth, not by finishing the original campaign. This is the 2026 expansion, not the 2013 first-game release.

This guide covers the 2026 expansion for Dragon's Dogma 2. Compare it with the 2013 Dark Arisen game.

This is the 2026 expansion

Steam app 2593290 is a $29.99 expansion requiring the base game. Its US date is 8 October 2026; CAPCOM's launch announcement and Nintendo's Switch 2 product use 9 October. These are storefront-specific release labels.

For a new Steam buyer wanting both, complete package 1686532 is $49.99, versus $69.98 for the two main items separately. Existing owners can buy just the expansion. Nintendo's $49.99 Switch 2 listing includes the game and expansion.

Paid content versus the free update

Forsaken Dominion: Norgan, the northern story region where Eir investigates the undying Fallen Dragon.
Lost Rites, twelve labyrinths: nine on the normal Vermund/Battahl map and three in the Unmoored World, with rare gear as rewards.
Expansion character options and new skills. Hard Mode and the other Title Update 4.0 base-game improvements are a separate free update, not a reason to buy DLC by themselves.

Which route to take first

CAPCOM recommends level 20 for the beginning of Lost Rites and level 40 for Norgan, but explicitly permits attempts below those levels. Talk to Brant at the tavern after reaching Vernworth. Choose the dungeon route for an earlier challenge or Norgan for the new story.

In Norgan, collect spoils and return to the settlement for appraisal; follow its side quests for equipment services. The related guides cover starting the quests, all twelve trial entrances, the nine vocation obelisks, relics and armor.

Snow-covered fortress and a stone bridge in a mountain region from the Dark Arisen expansion. Source: CAPCOM's Steam store screenshots.

Trailer

Questions

Do I need to finish the base game first?

No. CAPCOM's July Q&A and September announcement say both expansion routes are accessible early by speaking to Brant at the tavern after arriving in Vernworth.

Does Norgan connect to the old map on foot?

Fextralife says the Norgan map is separate and its portcrystal only works inside that region.

How to startBrant, Chilling Tidings, and the griffin ride.Release date and priceSteam date, price, and platforms.NorganThe far-north region.Lost RitesThe twelve labyrinths.Name explained2026 expansion versus the 2013 game.Relic appraisalCollect spoils and compare the appraised results.New skillsNine obelisks and vocation unlocks.Armor and ringsEquipment sources and Ring of Virtue.Buying assessmentWho the expansion is for.Hard ModeWhere the toggle sits.