How to Access the Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel DLC

FromSoftware has a peculiar habit of making their DLCs difficult to access — and Dark Souls III: Ashes of Ariandel is set to continue this trend. The Souls tradition places DLC access points smack in the middle of the game, and they’re usually carefully hidden to boot.

Fortunately for Dark Souls fans, the unexpected early release of Ashes of Ariandel for Xbox One last week allowed a few brave pioneers to find the gateway to Ariandel ahead of the rest of us. Thanks to these folks, the rest of us have been spared hours of frustration and aimless searching.

Today after 3:00 p.m. PDT for Steam users and 9:00 p.m. PDT for console users, Ashes of Ariandel will be accessible with the help of a new NPC who appears very close to the Cleansing Chapel bonfire. He can be found kneeling to the right of the nearby altar. If you aren’t familiar with the bonfire by name, it is found in the building which serves as the central “shortcut hub” of the Cathedral of the Deep – you know, the fancy church with golden double doors and tons of smashable wooden chairs inside.

Speaking with this NPC will grant the player access to Ariandel automatically. But don’t worry — after lighting the first bonfire in Ariandel, the player can easily warp back and forth from the Painted World just like any other area.

While the Cathedral of the Deep is a relatively early-game area, newcomers to Dark Souls III should expect to invest a few hours of gameplay before the DLC content can be reached. For everyone else, “May the flames guide thee” through your journey through the mysterious and dangerous land of Ariandel!