There have been many assumptions about what an Elden Ring DLC will entail, but among these theories, a supposed future DLC called Barbarians of the Badlands has spread over the internet as rumors of leaks have proliferated. As exciting as this may sound for fans, this title leak is the result of a ransomware attack on Bandai Namco Entertainment, an attack that has resulted in the reveal of several game titles to be released in 2023 even while many have doubts about the leak’s authenticity.
Fans of Elden Ring who have beaten the game and replayed it have been waiting with bated breath for a DLC. Based on past FromSoftware games, such as Bloodborne and Dark Souls 3, a DLC or two are expected to be released. Since Bloodborne and The Old Hunters DLC were released the same year, and the tragic story of Dark Souls 3‘s main game and its first DLC, Ashes of Ariandel, were also released the same year, with The Ringed City DLC following a year later, it seems likely that Elden Ring DLC may not be far off. Many Elden Ring fans have hopes about what the future DLC will contain, such as more lore information that answers burning questions, and the unveiling of new and exciting locations. If the Barbarians of the Badlands leak is real, then this may be the first of several DLCs that reveal more about the world of Elden Ring.
However, there is also a chance that this leak is a hoax fabricated by the group responsible for the ransomware attack. Based on the other game titles released, some individuals believe this leak is a hoax and has no chance of being true. That said, this also happened with Capcom several years ago, ultimately resulting in the Dragons Dogma 2 sequel being revealed ahead of schedule.
There’s A High Chance The Elden Ring DLC Leak Is A Hoax
Early in July 2022, Bandai Namco reported being hacked by the ransomware group ALPHV, also known as BlackCat. It is a common occurrence for large gaming companies to be the target of hacker groups. EA was targeted by a group and had source code stolen, and CD Projekt Red had data believed to relate to games, contractors, and employees stolen during a similar hack.
Around the time that Bandai Namco announced the unauthorized access servers, an image of several big-name titles planned for release in 2023 began circulating around the internet. Broken up into four groups through the year 2023, some of the games included are Tekken 8, Armored Core, the Elden Ring DLC leak Barbarians of the Badlands, and Dragonball Fighter Z Super.
However, some people have pointed out issues with the logos on the games supposedly set to release next year. For example, the Tekken 8 logo has been revealed to be a fan edit, and the Dragonball Fighter Z Super logo is a combination of Dragon Ball Fighter Z and Dragon Ball Super. When it comes to Barbarians of the Badlands, some fans are saying that it does not seem like a name for a FromSoftware DLC.
Further support for the leak being a hoax lies in the fact that a ransomware attack will naturally demand some form of payment from its target. When Cyberpunk 2077 studio CD Projekt Red was hacked, they received a ransom note demanding payment with the threat of releasing information. It makes little sense for ALPHV to hack into Bandai Namco’s servers, steal sensitive data, and then give out vital information they are holding hostage for free.
Elden Ring DLC Could Have A Badlands Connection
If the leak is true and Barbarians of the Badlands is the name of the future Elden Ring DLC, then there is a possibility player will learn more about several major NPC characters and game lore. For players who have played the game and paid some attention to the lore, they may be familiar with barbarians and the Badlands. Barbarians are one of the starting classes in the game, and the class of one of the most honorable NPCs, Elden Ring‘s Nepheli Loux.
As exciting as learning more about where Nepheli came from and whom she was before coming to the Lands Between, there is another NPC that the unconfirmed DLC may shed light on. Before he was known as Godfrey, First Elden Lord, he was a warrior named Hoarah Loux. Despite the name change, Godfrey is one of the most important individuals in Elden Ring lore. He was Queen Marika’s first Elden Lord, and together the two had three children: Godwyn the Golden, and the Omen twins Mohg and Morgott.
Godfrey continued making history in the Lands Between when he went to war with the Giants because their fire threatened the safety of the Erdtree. However, after defeating the Storm Lord alone, Godfrey lost his guidance of grace and warrior spirit. Godfrey became Elden Ring‘s first Tarnished, exiled by Marika along with all his warriors. Godfrey leads his warriors on a long march and eventually takes back the name Hoarah Loux, becoming chieftain of the Badland warriors until the events of the game bring him back to mend the Golden Order. As interesting as this information may be, some large questions have not been answered.
One unanswered question is the relationship between Nepheli and Godfrey. Since Godfrey becomes chief of the warriors, the name Loux may be a clan name that Nepheli took to show which clan she came from. Another potential connection is she may be Godfrey’s mysterious Elden Ring warrior daughter born before or after his marriage to Queen Marika. Nepheli could also be distantly related to him, like a granddaughter or great-granddaughter. The relationship between Nepheli and Godfrey at this moment isn’t entirely known, but perhaps the unconfirmed Barbarians of the Badlands DLC could further explain their relationship. It also could reveal more about this mysterious Badland location that lies beyond the Lands Between.
There is a probable chance that the Barbarians of the Badlands DLC and the other leaked games titles are a hoax, but anything is still possible until more is known. According to the leaked image, the Badlands DLC is set to be released during Q3 of 2023 but assuming this is a larger DLC, then that would fit the general timeline of FromSoftware DLC release dates. Until the company releases information about the DLC or more authentic leaks are pushed out, Elden Ring fans may continue to brush this off as a hoax.