Dragon's Dogma 2's major expansion, Dark Arisen, will be released on October 9 for PC, PS5, XSX|S, and Nintendo Switch 2.

This expansion was created in response to diverse player feedback following the launch of Dragon's Dogma 2, including requests to further explore the game world and experience more content. It will feature a new story set in the new region of Norgan, along with challenge content in the base game areas, various character customization elements, and more.

An interview was held to discuss the expansion in greater detail. The interview was conducted with domestic media and featured Producer Naoto Oyama and Director Kento Kinoshita.

Why did you choose the subtitle 'Dark Arisen,' just like the expansion for the previous game.

Oyama = We decided on the subtitle after the content was finalized. There are three main reasons: its connection to the story, the inclusion of hack-and-slash elements similar to the original Dark Arisen, and the fact that it is the easiest way to convey to users what kind of elements are being added.

You have set three goals for Dark Arisen. What was the top priority you wanted to reflect.

Kinoshita = The top priority was definitely 'enabling more adventures.' We started production on this work to respond to the voices of users who wanted new adventures and experiences.

Oyama = From the perspective of 'more convenience,' we have continued updates for over half a year since the release of Dragon's Dogma 2, but we have received a lot of feedback since then. Some users wanted to enjoy a more realistic sense of adventure, while others felt it should be more convenient compared to modern open-world games. We are addressing this by adding convenience options while maintaining the joy of free-roaming adventure.

Various user feedback has been reflected. There must have been parts that conflicted with your existing development philosophy; what is the background behind these changes? Also, I am curious about the criteria you used to balance the existing philosophy with user opinions in this expansion.

Kinoshita = It's not that our development philosophy has changed, but rather that we have been updating the game to meet the comfort levels required by modern open-world games while preserving the fun and essence unique to the Dragon's Dogma series, based on the various opinions we received from users after launch.

Oyama = Some user feedback was contradictory, so we adjusted things based on balancing each side while broadening the scope of play and increasing options. For example, in this update, we added content with the concept of increasing options so that more players can choose the gameplay that suits them, starting with the 'Ferrystone.'

Players can choose whether to warp using a Ferrystone or travel on foot as before. Other examples of added options include being able to choose intermediate drop-off points for oxcarts or granting Pawns a specialty that prevents oxcarts from being attacked.

What is the identity of Dragon's Dogma 2 that the development team absolutely wanted to maintain in the expansion? Are there any elements you intended to further upgrade.

Kinoshita = I believe the joy of traveling with Pawns is the identity of Dogma. In this work, we focused on the joy of cooperating with Pawns to go on adventures.

Actions such as Pawns throwing themselves to block attacks when the Arisen is unable to move, or pulling the player up when climbing onto an enemy, will be added in the title update 3.2 at the end of August. We also plan to add command functions for Pawns, such as exploring or high-fiving, and further adjustments to their behavior and thought processes.

Which convenience elements are being strengthened in this expansion? Please introduce any other sub-content you would like to share with users.

Oyama = First, you can now create up to 3 sets of 'save slots' that store three types of save data: auto-save, manual save, and inn save. Each save slot is independent for each Arisen created. This was applied based on user feedback wanting to start new adventures.

In addition, there is the addition of the Ferrystone, expansion of custom skill slots, and adjustments to Dragonsplague. We are also broadening the scope of play by increasing user options, such as expanding functions like choosing intermediate drop-off points for oxcarts and adding Pawn specialties that prevent oxcart attacks.

Various other updates are also scheduled. Detailed update information can be found in the released roadmap.

In Norgan, players will encounter new enemies and ecosystems. What concepts and combat patterns did you have in mind when designing the new enemies.

Kinoshita = Norgan is a stage where you can experience the 'field experience unique to the far north,' and the basic concept is to provide a new experience differentiated from the base game map. In the field, you can experience elements unique to Norgan, such as heavy blizzards that obscure vision or terrain gimmicks like icicles. Enemies that are even rougher than those in the base game, fitting for a ruined territory and snow-covered land, will appear, leading to satisfying combat.

Oyama = There are monsters that have not yet been revealed, which you will be able to check through future announcements.

Norgan has a different atmosphere than before. What is the core theme you wanted to express in this expansion, and how did you design the regional composition and level design to implement this atmosphere.

Kinoshita = Beyond the concept of differentiation from the base game fields, the story is also an important theme. In Norgan, battles against tougher enemies unfold, and the battle difficulty is set higher than in the base game. Therefore, it is designed so that players can progress through the story by obtaining stronger equipment in Norgan based on the equipment and builds they cultivated in the base game. For level design, we designed it to rely more on acquired equipment than on levels.

Also, players will encounter a field design with a darker atmosphere as they pursue the mysteries of the story. We designed the regional composition and level design to match the flow of chasing the mystery of 'why we came to this land and why these things are happening.'

Is there any content in this expansion that you are most looking forward to seeing user reactions to.

Kinoshita = Within the three elements of this work announced previously—'more convenient play, more adventures, and more casual enjoyment'—I am particularly looking forward to user reactions to the 'more adventures' part. I hope players enjoy the cycle of hack-and-slash gameplay in the open world of the new region, as well as the new story.

Does the expansion affect the existing base game regions as well? I am curious if new monsters or content will be added to the existing regions.

Oyama = In the challenge content 'Forgotten Trials' of Dark Arisen, 12 unique dungeons will be added to the base game regions. These dungeons are scattered throughout the base game regions with gradually increasing difficulty. Early dungeons are helpful as a supplementary means for gaining EXP, while the later ones feel more like a challenge.

Other base game title updates are available on the official website.

When did you start preparing for the DLC, and why did you choose the northern snowy region of Norgan as the new stage? Please introduce the differences or characteristics of Norgan compared to the existing stages.

Oyama = We have been updating for over half a year since the release of Dragon's Dogma 2, but we have received many passionate comments from users such as 'I want to play more' and 'I still want to enjoy this world.'

To respond to this, we started the project with the desire to provide something that can be properly enjoyed, including new content, stories, actions, and enemies, rather than just stopping at simple title updates, under the concept of 'more convenient play, more adventures, and more casual enjoyment.'

I saw a scene where a rope was used for vertical climbing; will players encounter vertically structured terrain in the new region of Norgan? I am curious how the player's movement path changes with the addition of this rope action.

Kinoshita = That's right. Norgan has several terrains with elevation differences, and it is possible to explore by climbing up and down high places in ways not seen in the base game, such as using ropes.

What are the conditions for challenging the new dungeons.

Kinoshita = In Forgotten Trials, some dungeons have entry conditions, while others do not. We have prepared various settings, such as dungeons that can be entered immediately from the beginning and dungeons that can only be entered after progressing through the base game story.

At what point in the base game can the expansion content be played? I am curious if it can be visited at any time during the story or if it is only accessible after the ending.

Oyama = It can be played after arriving in Vernworth, which is the early part of the base game story. The recommended levels for starting quests are level 20 for Forgotten Trials and level 40 for the Ruined Territory, and the difficulty increases gradually. It is fine to proceed after growing to the recommended level, but it is also possible to challenge from a lower level. We designed it so that the timing can be chosen relatively freely by the user.

It seems that additional skills or abilities for each vocation will appear in this expansion. I would like to hear an explanation of the additional skills and actions.

Kinoshita = It is difficult to disclose the details of each skill, but in this Dark Arisen, we have prepared new skills for all vocations and several higher versions of existing skills.

Oyama = You can check some of the new skills in the PV currently being released or in the Capcom Spotlight video.

I am curious about the introduction of unique equipment with various effects and what kind of play style you intended to induce through the addition of enhancement effects to such equipment.

Kinoshita = We have prepared both active and passive types of skills. There are over 150 types of unique cosmetic equipment as loot in this work, and their performance itself varies. I hope you enjoy the 'refreshment and sense of accomplishment unique to hack-and-slash' where you keep wanting equipment that suits your taste.

Many users are looking forward to a high difficulty level like the Hard Mode of the previous game. I am curious if you can experience more challenging content in this expansion, or if there are plans to add a Hard Mode in the future.

Oyama = In the case of Hard Mode, there were many user opinions after the release of the Dragon's Dogma 2 base game. We are working hard on it, but please wait for information to be released later regarding the official announcement and update timing.

How much playtime can users who have already played the base game and new users expect, respectively, based on Dark Arisen.

= We expect about 15 to 20 hours to clear the main scenario in the new region of Norgan. In addition, 12 types of unique dungeons are added to the base game, and since each dungeon has a volume of about 30 minutes to 1 hour, you can enjoy more than 25 hours with just the expansion. Furthermore, the Dragon's Dogma 2 base game is 30 to 40 hours, so if you add the two, you can play for a sufficiently long time.

Director Kento Kinoshita has taken the helm starting with this expansion; I am curious if there will be any changes in future development policies due to the change in director.

Oyama = In addition to Director Kinoshita, there are many staff members who have been involved in the series since the first Dragon's Dogma, and that knowledge, experience, and know-how remain in the company. Therefore, I believe that we are proceeding with development while cherishing the core of the series in Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen as well.

Can we expect improvements in game optimization with the release of Dark Arisen? I am curious about what technical improvements are being made, especially in terms of frame rate or CPU/GPU usage.

Kinoshita = On PS5 and Xbox Series, we are adjusting it to run at 60 FPS in performance mode.

Oyama = Since the specs for the PC version vary, please refer to the information to be released later regarding detailed system requirements.

The news of the Nintendo Switch 2 release was a big topic, but at the same time, there are concerns about optimization considering the specs of the base game. I am curious about what technical breakthroughs you have prepared for the Switch 2 version.

Oyama = The quality is coming out higher than our expectations. We are producing it with a target of 30 FPS or higher, but there are cases where it shows even better performance in TV mode. We are developing it for a quality that can be properly enjoyed while maintaining a certain level of graphics.

How are you planning long-term post-launch support and balance adjustments beyond the expansion release after the August title update.

Oyama = We are not thinking about additional updates after title update 3.2 at the end of August at this stage. We are working hard on development so that users can properly enjoy the work at the time of release.

Lastly, please say a word to the Korean users who are looking forward to Dragon's Dogma 2: Dark Arisen.

Oyama = First, I would like to say that I am sorry for keeping you waiting for so long. I think Asian users have sent particularly passionate comments, including opinions and wishes for the game. We tried to respond to those opinions through the Dragon's Dogma 2 base game title updates and the Dark Arisen content provided as DLC. We ask for your continued interest until the release.

Also, we have prepared the Nintendo Switch 2 version for those who have not played the series yet. We are making it so that you can play comfortably and enjoyably even if you are starting anew, so please look forward to it.

Kinoshita = We have worked hard on development, using opinions from users like 'This can't be the end!' and 'Please, Capcom!' as energy. We are working hard on development, keeping in mind both 'gameplay fun' and 'density' so that you can fully enjoy the game in the expanded region added through the new DLC, including the base game. Please look forward to it.