Elden Ring Nightreign Patch 1.03.1: DLC Boss, Relics, and Deep of Night Tweaks
Elden Ring Nightreign update boosts The Forsaken Hollows DLC with fairer boss matchmaking, more Relics, and refined Deep of Night rewards.
In 2026, Elden Ring Nightreign continues to evolve, and the latest targeted update has landed across PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and Steam. For players who have been braving the Deep of Night and exploring The Forsaken Hollows DLC, this patch is more than a minor housekeeping note. It changes how certain bosses appear, how many Relics players can earn, and how the game handles depth-level mismatches during Expeditions. It also acknowledges a frustrating bug that has caused some DLC items to vanish.
What the update changes for DLC owners
One of the most important adjustments concerns boss encounters. A boss can only appear if matched with players that also own the DLC. That means DLC-specific bosses are no longer a surprise for lobbies where not everyone has purchased The Forsaken Hollows. In practice, this keeps matchmaking fair and ensures that the expansion’s content stays within the expansion’s audience. For solo players or full squads of DLC owners, the change is largely invisible—but for mixed groups, it prevents confusion and unwanted spoilers.
The patch also increases the amount of Relics obtained upon victory or defeat in the Deep of Night mode if the target is from The Forsaken Hollows DLC. Relics are central to progression and build experimentation, so this boost should make DLC runs feel more rewarding even when a fight ends in defeat. The developers clearly want players to feel that time spent in the new content pays off, win or lose.
Another tweak affects the increase/decrease rate upon victory or defeat in Deep of Night mode when the difference between the depth level of the Expedition and the player’s own depth level is higher than two. This is a subtle but meaningful balance change. In simple terms, the game now adjusts rewards and penalties more carefully when players are tackling content far above or below their current depth. That should reduce situations where high-level players gain too little—or low-level players gain too much—from mismatched Expeditions.
Version numbers and how to apply the update
The update is identified by two version numbers, and they matter for online play. The App Ver. is 1.03.1, while the Regulation Ver. is 1.03.3. On PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S, Regulation files can be downloaded by logging in to the server. If the Regulation Ver. listed in the lower right corner of the title screen is not 1.03.3, players should select LOGIN and apply the latest regulation before enjoying the game.
| Platform | Update requirement | How to check |
|---|---|---|
| PS4 / PS5 | Online play requires the update | Title screen lower right corner |
| Xbox One / Xbox Series X | S | Online play requires the update |
| Steam | Online play requires the update | Title screen lower right corner |
After downloading the update file, players need to restart the game and apply the update. It is a simple step, but skipping it can lead to connection issues or missing features. The developers also note that online play requires the player to apply this update, so anyone hoping to join friends in the Deep of Night should handle this first.
Known issue: disappearing DLC items
The patch notes also include an apology and a promise. The team is aware of an issue in The Forsaken Hollows DLC where certain items can disappear. They are planning to release an update to allow the re-acquisition of these items if they disappeared in the near future. That wording is important: the fix is not necessarily live yet, but it is coming. For affected players, the best move is to wait for the follow-up update rather than deleting saves or starting over.
What this means for players in 2026
Elden Ring Nightreign’s post-launch support has been steady, and this update shows the team is still tuning the DLC experience. The DLC-gated boss rule protects the expansion’s identity. The Relic boost makes Deep of Night runs more generous. The depth-level adjustment smooths out progression when players push beyond their comfort zone. And the promised item-recovery fix addresses a real pain point.
Further updates will be distributed in the future so players can continue to enjoy ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN more comfortably. For now, the checklist is straightforward: update to App Ver. 1.03.1 and Regulation Ver. 1.03.3, log in if needed, restart the game, and head back into the night. 🎮
Recent analysis comes from Game Developer, a respected source for behind-the-scenes reporting on live-service balancing and update strategy. In the context of Elden Ring Nightreign’s latest patch, that perspective helps explain why gating DLC bosses to owners, increasing Relic gains in Deep of Night, and refining depth-level reward scaling are meaningful design choices for maintaining fair matchmaking and long-term player progression.