Which Dark Arisen purchase do you need?
| Your situation | What to buy | US price | Play when |
|---|---|---|---|
| You already own Dragon’s Dogma 2 | Dark Arisen Expansion (DLC) | $29.99 | Expansion unlocks 9 Oct |
| New to Dragon’s Dogma 2 (PC, PS5, Xbox) | Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen bundle | $49.99 | Base game right away, expansion 9 Oct |
| Playing on Nintendo Switch 2 | Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen (only version sold) | $49.99 | Whole game on 9 Oct |
| Only want the base game for now | Dragon’s Dogma 2 | $39.99 | Now — add the $29.99 expansion later |
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Dark Arisen release date and time
Capcom announced the 9 October date during the June Nintendo Direct, but the store listings are where the exact time appears. When we opened the Xbox bundle page on 29 September, it said the expansion “will be available on Thursday, October 8th, 2026 at 5:00 PM (PDT) / Friday, October 9th, 2026 at 1:00 AM (BST)”. That is one fixed moment worldwide: 00:00 UTC. Steam agrees. Its store API lists the expansion under “Oct 8, 2026”, which only makes sense for an evening unlock in the Americas. So in the Americas the expansion arrives on the evening of Thursday 8 October, and everywhere east of the UK it is already Friday.
| Region | Local unlock time | Date |
|---|---|---|
| US Pacific (PDT) | 5:00 PM | Thursday 8 October |
| US Eastern (EDT) | 8:00 PM | Thursday 8 October |
| Brazil (BRT) | 9:00 PM | Thursday 8 October |
| UK (BST) | 1:00 AM | Friday 9 October |
| Central Europe (CEST) | 2:00 AM | Friday 9 October |
| Saudi Arabia (AST) | 3:00 AM | Friday 9 October |
| UAE (GST) | 4:00 AM | Friday 9 October |
| India (IST) | 5:30 AM | Friday 9 October |
| Philippines (PHT) | 8:00 AM | Friday 9 October |
| Japan (JST) | 9:00 AM | Friday 9 October |
| Sydney (AEDT) | 11:00 AM | Friday 9 October |
| Auckland (NZDT) | 1:00 PM | Friday 9 October |
Why the PS Store shows 04:00 UTC
The US PlayStation Store expansion page gives a release date of 9 October at 04:00 UTC, which is midnight US Eastern. That is four hours later than the Xbox and Steam time. PlayStation listings often show a local-midnight placeholder until closer to launch, so we would not assume PS5 players really wait longer. Capcom has not published a PlayStation-specific time, though. If you play on PS5, plan for 00:00 UTC and don’t be surprised if it is midnight Eastern instead. We will update this section once the PS Store changes or the expansion goes live.
Can you preload Dark Arisen?
Effectively yes, if you are new to the game. The $49.99 bundle hands you Dragon’s Dogma 2 straight away, so the large download happens now and 9 October only adds the expansion on top. Existing owners already have the base game installed, and no store had announced a separate preload window for the DLC by 29 September. Before you play, Steam’s expansion page also tells you to update to the latest patch. On Switch 2 the whole package arrives on launch day, and nintendo.com’s page data now gives a download size of 49.6 GB (down from an estimate of 54 GB), so clear space on a microSD Express card or the internal storage first.
Dragon’s Dogma 2 Dark Arisen price: expansion vs bundle
| Product | Steam | Xbox | PS Store | Nintendo (Switch 2) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dark Arisen Expansion (needs base game) | $29.99 | $29.99 | $29.99 | — |
| Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen (bundle) | $49.99 | $49.99 | $49.99 | $49.99 |
| Dragon’s Dogma 2 (base game only) | $39.99 | not checked | $39.99 | — |
The prices on that Steam page explain the whole decision. The base game alone is $39.99 and the expansion alone is $29.99, which adds up to $69.98. The bundle is $49.99, so a new player saves $19.99 by buying it. Put another way, the bundle charges just $10 more than the base game and throws in the expansion, the Camping Kit and the sound pack. If you have not bought Dragon’s Dogma 2 yet, buying the base game on its own today makes no sense.
Do you need Dragon’s Dogma 2 to play Dark Arisen?
“This product cannot be used without Dragon’s Dogma 2.”
— Capcom, Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Expansion, Steam store page, read 29 September 2026
Yes. Despite the name, this is not a standalone re-release like the original Dragon’s Dogma: Dark Arisen in 2013. The $29.99 product is DLC for an existing copy, and the $49.99 product is the same DLC bundled with the base game. The Xbox listing warns that “items in this set can also be purchased separately. Please be aware of duplicate purchases”, and Steam carries a similar duplicate-purchase note. So if you already own Dragon’s Dogma 2, buy the $29.99 expansion, not the bundle. Nothing we read on Steam, Xbox or the PS Store mentions an owner discount on the bundle.
The Norgan pre-order bonus
What is in the Dark Arisen expansion
- Forsaken Dominion: a new story in Norgan, a long-abandoned snowy region in the north. You join Eir, who is hunting the undying Fallen Dragon
- Relic Expedition: dig up and appraise forgotten relics to unlock new weapons and skills. According to Capcom’s developers at TGS, the new appearance-change (transmog) system works only on this relic gear
- Lost Rites: 12 new challenge dungeons in the main map, holding rare gear once used by past Arisen
- Character Creator additions: new hairstyles and tattoos for your Arisen and Pawns
- A returning boss: the developers confirmed the Evil Eye comes back, but have kept the details secret
When can you reach Norgan and the Lost Rites?
| Content | Opens | Recommended level |
|---|---|---|
| Lost Rites dungeons | Early in the story | Around 20 |
| Norgan (Forsaken Dominion) | Shortly after you reach Vernworth | Around 40 |
| Hard Mode | For high-level characters | Late game — and a save switched to Hard Mode cannot be switched back |
This matters if you are buying the bundle as a newcomer. Norgan opens early, but at level 40 it is meant for players well into the main story. New players should expect to spend their first weekend in the base game. The Lost Rites dungeons, at around level 20, are the first expansion content most newcomers will reach. Treat the Hard Mode warning seriously: back up a save or use a second save slot before switching.
Dark Arisen FAQs
When does Dragon’s Dogma 2 Dark Arisen come out?
How much is Dragon’s Dogma 2 Dark Arisen?
Is Dragon’s Dogma 2 Dark Arisen a standalone game?
Is Dragon’s Dogma 2 coming to Switch 2?
Can I play Dark Arisen on Steam Deck?
What is the Dark Arisen pre-order bonus?
Dragon’s Dogma 2 PC requirements
| Component | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Windows 11 64-bit | Windows 11 64-bit |
| CPU | Intel Core i5-8500 / AMD Ryzen 5 3500 | Intel Core i7-10700 / AMD Ryzen 5 3600X |
| RAM | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| GPU | GeForce GTX 1660 / Radeon RX 5500 XT (8 GB VRAM) | GeForce RTX 2070 Super / Radeon RX 6600 XT |
| DirectX | Version 12 | Version 12 |
| Target | 1080p (upscaled), 45–60 fps on Prioritize Performance | 1080p (upscaled), 60 fps on Prioritize Performance |
Two things stood out when we read the Steam page. First, both tiers list Windows 11, not Windows 10. Second, ray tracing needs at least an RTX 2080 Ti or RX 6800 on top of the recommended spec. Capcom also recommends an SSD. The game has a reputation for CPU-heavy cities, so the frame-rate figures above are for the “Prioritize Performance” preset with upscaling, not native 1080p.
The Switch 2 version
This is the first time Dragon’s Dogma 2 has appeared on a Nintendo console, which is why there is no $29.99 expansion there: nobody owns the base game on Switch 2 yet. The nintendo.com listing sells the combined package at $49.99, the same price as everywhere else, and gives the release date as 9 October 2026. When we re-read the page data on 3 October it gave a download size of 49.6 GB, bigger than most Switch 2 games, so storage is the thing to plan for.
Paying with a Steam, Xbox or Nintendo gift card
If you want another dark-fantasy action RPG to play before 9 October, we stock Dragonkin: The Banished as a Steam key (€24.99 in our store on 29 September), along with its Blood Scales Edition (€39.99). It is an isometric action RPG rather than an open-world one, so it is a different kind of game. If you buy Dark Arisen on Steam and it disappoints, Steam’s refund rules cover DLC and pre-purchases as well.
Our verdict by player type
Existing owners — $29.99 expansion
A new region, 12 dungeons and a gear system for the price of a mid-size DLC. Buy the expansion, never the bundle.
- New story region plus 12 challenge dungeons
- Relic gear with its own transmog
- Free August update already improved the base game
- Norgan is tuned for level 40+
- No owner discount on the bundle, so read the product name carefully
New players — $49.99 bundle
Only $10 more than the base game alone, and the base game is playable today. The easiest recommendation in this guide.
- $19.99 cheaper than buying both parts
- Start playing now, expansion joins on 9 October
- Includes Camping Kit and sound pack
- PC needs Windows 11 and a GTX 1660-class GPU
- Unsupported on Steam Deck
Switch 2 — $49.99
Same price and content as elsewhere, but a roughly 50 GB download and no chance to start early.
- First time on a Nintendo console
- Complete package in one purchase
- Around 50 GB of storage
- Nothing playable before 9 October
Rayyan covers console and PC gaming wallets for Virtwave, with deep specialism in PlayStation Network, Xbox, Razer Gold and Steam. He has been writing about digital gaming commerce since 2020.
Sources & how we checked this
- Xbox store — Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen: the 5:00 PM PDT / 1:00 AM BST unlock, bundle contents, $49.99 price and pre-order bonus.
- Steam — Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen Expansion: $29.99 price, base-game requirement, the three content pillars and the pre-order bonus.
- Steam — Dragon’s Dogma 2: $39.99 base game, $49.99 bundle, DLC prices, PC requirements and Steam Deck status.
- PlayStation Store — Dark Arisen Expansion and the bundle: PS5 prices and the 04:00 UTC listing.
- nintendo.com — Dragon’s Dogma 2: Dark Arisen for Switch 2: $49.99, 9 October and the estimated file size.
- RPG Site — Dark Arisen launches on October 9 and content revealed in more detail: the Nintendo Direct announcement and the free June and August updates.
- GosuGamers — TGS 2026 developer interview: relic transmog, the Evil Eye, Hard Mode and recommended levels.
Method: we opened each store page on 29 September 2026 from Poland with US pricing, took the screenshots in this post the same day, and converted local times from 00:00 UTC using the daylight-saving rules in force on 9 October 2026. We searched our own catalogue to confirm we don’t stock the game, and opened each linked gift card and game page to confirm it was live. We will update this post at launch. Our standards are set out in our editorial policy.
Also launching soon: Ace Combat 8 on 2 October, and the Kingdom Hearts Collection the day before Dark Arisen, on 8 October. On Switch 2, the next big one is the Ocarina of Time remake on 5 November, and our Switch 2 storage calculator shows whether both fit on your console.
