A dataminer has uncovered a substantial, unreleased coliseum level from the early development of Dark Souls 2. The prototype area, which appears significantly larger than those found in Elden Ring, was largely undiscovered until dataminer Doneda began exploring the game's files.
Using the Elden Ring Nightreign tool, Doneda has managed to load and explore the remnants of these cut levels. The unearthed content includes a coliseum zone, mines, an unusual underground tower that might have been a series of arenas, and a crypt section. Some portions of the prototype seem to have been intended as interconnected areas, while others may represent different iterations of the same concept. It is speculated that this area could be related to the Undead Crypt found in the final game.
This discovery adds to the growing body of evidence suggesting Dark Souls 2 faced a tumultuous development cycle. The game's development occurred while Hidetaka Miyazaki was focused on Bloodborne, and it introduced significant changes to combat mechanics and hit detection compared to previous FromSoftware titles. Early trailers also showcased a more advanced lighting system than what appeared in the final release, a point of contention for many players at the time.
Doneda has previously demonstrated expertise in uncovering Dark Souls 2's cut content, including a Nightreign-compatible version of the Eleum Loyce DLC area and an ambitious early version of The Gutter. These findings underscore the challenges FromSoftware encountered during the development of their ambitious titles, often resulting in significant portions of content being cut or heavily reworked before release.
The sheer scale of the unearthed coliseum raises questions about its intended place within Dark Souls 2. However, given the game's history of story rewrites and development hurdles, it remains uncertain if this ambitious level would have fit seamlessly into the final game's narrative or design. The discovery serves as a poignant reminder of the