The Dark Arisen expansion for Dragon's Dogma 2 introduces the new northern region of Norgan and a set of 12 new endgame dungeons. To begin this new content, players must speak with Captain Brant at The Stardrop Inn in Vernworth during nighttime. Upon speaking with him, two new dialogue options will appear: "About the new Arisen…" which initiates the quest "Chilling Tidings" leading to Norgan, and "About the uncovered ruins…" which starts the "Lost Rites" quest focused on the dungeons.
While the Dark Arisen content can be accessed relatively early in the game, a recommended level of 40 is advised for tackling Norgan and its associated challenges. The individual dungeons also vary in difficulty. Players who have progressed the main story to the Unmoored World will find that they cannot access the Dark Arisen expansion until they start a New Game+.
For those eager to jump into the new content without losing their current character's progress, Dragon's Dogma 2 offers a new save option. This allows players to create a New Game+ from their existing save file, retaining their level, equipment, and items, while resetting quest progress. To use this feature, select "Change save slot" and hold the designated button (X on controller, Shift on keyboard) to create a new playthrough.