FromSoftware takes Dark Souls 2 and 3 servers offline across all platforms

On Oct. 30, 2026, FromSoftware announced it was temporarily taking the game servers for Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3 offline across all platforms, citing an unspecified server issue. The developer’s official player support account on X posted the announcement, apologizing for the inconvenience in both English and Japanese. Inven Global reported that the English-language notice went out at 1:45 AM PT, following a Japanese-language post about an hour and 45 minutes earlier, and neither post explained the specific nature of the server fault. The studio committed to providing updates on the restoration timeline once information becomes available, but has not given any estimated date or timeframe for when online services will return.

The server shutdown makes online features unavailable across both titles. Eurogamer reported that the outage disables player-versus-player invasions, cooperative summon signs, and the messages other players leave in the game world. These features allow players to invade others’ games, summon allies for boss fights, and leave warnings or tricks for fellow travelers. Without server access, these social and competitive elements are unavailable.

Despite the online outage, players can still play both games solo and offline without an internet connection, since the server issue affects only online-dependent features. FromSoftware stated, “We will provide updates once we have information regarding the server restoration time.” Players should watch the FROMSOFTWARE PLAYER SUPPORT account on X for the official announcement of when online services will return.

This time, the outage covers every platform, including consoles on PlayStation, Xbox, and Nintendo. Inven Global reported that on Jan. 23, 2022, the official Dark Souls account announced it was temporarily deactivating PvP servers for Dark Souls III, Dark Souls II, and Dark Souls: Remastered on PC while it investigated reports of an online-services issue, leaving console servers on Xbox and PlayStation unaffected. FromSoftware has not suggested the current problem is security-related.

During the 2022 disruption, Dark Souls 2 was offline for 275 days, Dark Souls 3 for 214 days, and Dark Souls: Remastered for 290 days, with services returning gradually from August 2022 onward. Dark Souls III on PC got its online features back on Aug. 25, 2022, and Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin returned on Oct. 25, 2022, while Dark Souls: Remastered on PC came back on Nov. 9, 2022. The original 2012 PC version, Dark Souls: Prepare to Die Edition, was never restored because its underlying system had aged.

The shutdown arrives amid a broader period of security concerns in the game industry. TheGamer reported that Bandai Namco verified a data breach on Oct. 28, 2026, with millions of records affected, and that Capcom confirmed a large-scale breach around the same time. Capcom also pulled Street Fighter 5 from digital stores and temporarily disabled its online servers while addressing PHP security enhancements. Sony also faced various security concerns during this period, and the Pokemon Company disabled Pokemon Home, Pokemon Champions, and Pokemon Sleep as a precaution while addressing hacking fears tied to PHP vulnerabilities.

GOG, the PC storefront, went down for four hours during the same period, and Japanese mobile titles including Umamusume: Pretty Derby went offline amid the PHP security worries, according to TheGamer. PHP vulnerabilities found through AI may impact up to 70 percent of apps and websites, and firms are still warned to take PHP-based systems offline until they are patched. Fixes for the vulnerabilities exist, but warnings remain active while companies re-evaluate their systems. Beebom noted that there is no confirmation these incidents are connected to the Dark Souls shutdown.

The shutdown began just two days after Dark Souls 2 completed its scheduled maintenance on Oct. 28, 2026, and Dark Souls 3 had scheduled maintenance on Oct. 21, 2026, according to Beebom. Dark Souls 2 dates to 2014 and Dark Souls 3 to 2016. It is not known if other FromSoftware games, including Elden Ring, Nightreign, Sekiro, or Armored Core, are affected by the current server problem. Separately, Eurogamer reported that FromSoftware’s multiplayer title The Duskbloods, a Switch 2 exclusive, saw its first network test pulled over unspecified server issues while the game was in its final adjustment stage, and the developer moved the launch window to 2027 while apologizing to players.