Dark Souls 2 and 3 Have Suddenly Lost Major Features

Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3 have suddenly lost access to several of their defining gameplay features after FromSoftware unexpectedly took their online servers offline across all platforms. Although Dark Souls 2 and its sequel remain playable, fans returning to Drangleic and Lothric will have to make do without some of the series' most recognizable online interactions.

While both Dark Souls 2 and 3 are primarily single-player experiences, their approach to online multiplayer has always been a huge part of their appeal. Throughout the games, players can summon strangers to help defeat difficult bosses, invade other worlds for PvP, and leave cryptic messages offering advice or deliberately misleading fellow players. Bloodstains and wandering phantoms also serve as reminders that thousands of other players are making their way through the same dangerous environments and are probably equally as frustrated. While many soulslikes have their own twist on the genre, FromSoftware's approach to multiplayer remains a defining feature of their RPGs. Even when playing alone, Dark Souls makes its worlds feel eerily connected, which makes the disappearance of those systems particularly noticeable.

Dark Souls 2 and 3 Online Features Have Been Temporarily Disabled

In an October 30 announcement on Twitter, FromSoftware confirmed that the online servers for Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3 have been temporarily disabled on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. The developer attributed the shutdown to an unspecified "server issue," leaving cooperative multiplayer, invasions, player messages, and other network-dependent features unavailable. FromSoftware went on to apologize for the inconvenience and said it would provide more information once a restoration timeline becomes available, though it has not announced an estimated return date at the time of this writing. Fortunately, both games remain playable offline, meaning players can still complete their single-player adventures while waiting for the servers to return. Thankfully, the outage appears limited to these two titles, with no indication that Dark Souls Remastered or Elden Ring's multiplayer has been affected.

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Unfortunately, this isn't the first time Dark Souls players have experienced an extended interruption to the series' online functionality. In January 2022, FromSoftware disabled multiplayer across the PC versions of the original trilogy after a serious security vulnerability was discovered. Restoring those services took months, with Dark Souls 3 finally returning online in August, followed by Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin in October and Dark Souls Remastered in November. However, there are some important differences this time around. The current shutdown is much more widespread, now affecting both consoles and PCs, and FromSoftware hasn't suggested that another security vulnerability is responsible. While no other details have been disclosed, the timing is suspicious given The Duskbloods' delay following a poor network test.

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Luckily, PC players do have an unofficial alternative that just came out, if they're willing to tinker with mods. Community developer Yui, best known for the popular Elden Ring Seamless Co-op mod, has also created a similar mod for Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3, which appears to circumvent the outage. These mods run independently of FromSoftware's official servers to avoid bans, letting compatible players keep exploring the games together despite the current multiplayer disruption. They also add shared progression and remove many frustrating restrictions associated with traditional summoning. Of course, they're not complete replacements for the original multiplayer experience, and they aren't a solution for console players.

More than a decade after their original releases, Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3 still attract players drawn to their challenging combat, memorable bosses, and distinctive multiplayer systems. Losing online functionality may not makeeither title unplayable, but it definitely removes some of the unpredictability and sense of community that made both games so special, not to mention the PvP scenes that still remain active. Hopefully, FromSoftware can resolve the current issues before another temporary shutdown turns into the kind of prolonged absence players experienced four years ago.

Dark Souls 2: Scholar of the First Sin

Action RPG Systems OpenCritic Reviews Top Critic Avg: 87/100 Critics Rec: 89% Released April 2, 2015 ESRB T For Teen Due To Blood and Gore, Game Experience May Change During Online Play, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Violence Developer(s) FromSoftware Publisher(s) Namco Bandai, FromSoftware

Genre(s) Action RPG 0:00 / 0:00