Dark Souls II: Scholar of the First Sin is the definitive edition of Dark Souls II, released in April 2015 with all three Lost Crowns expansions included, remixed enemy placement, 60fps at 1080p on the newer platforms, up to six players online and a new ending tied to the character Aldia. If you are choosing between it and the original release, Scholar of the First Sin is the version to buy: it is the one sold on PS4, Xbox One and PC today, and it plays on PS5 through backward compatibility. Here is what changed, what is included, and what to know about its online features as of November 2026.
We checked these details against the official PlayStation Store listing, the Fextralife Dark Souls II wiki, Wikipedia's release history and current news coverage of FromSoftware's server notices in November 2026.
Release Dates, Platforms and Editions
The original Dark Souls II launched on PS3 and Xbox 360 on March 11, 2014 in North America, with the Windows version following on April 24, 2014. Scholar of the First Sin arrived the next year. Wikipedia lists February 5, 2015 in Japan for the last-generation versions, April 2, 2015 in Europe and April 7, 2015 in North America, which matches the date on the PlayStation Store page for the PS4 version.
The edition came out in two forms. On PS4, Xbox One and the DirectX 11 version of the PC release, it got the full upgrade: new graphics, a jump from 30fps to 60fps at 1080p, and more players per online session. Owners of the original on PS3, Xbox 360 and the older PC version received a free patch instead, version 1.10, which added the new Scholar of the First Sin NPC to their game.
The PS4 store listing still describes it as "the definitive edition of DARK SOULS II, including all the DARK SOULS II content released to-date." Bandai Namco Entertainment America is the publisher, and the page notes the PS4 game is playable on PS5, where some PS4 features may be absent.
What Changed From the Original Dark Souls II
The headline change is enemy placement. The PlayStation Store listing puts it bluntly: previously safe zones are no longer safe. Areas you thought you knew have new enemies, more of some old ones (the wiki notes extra spiders in Brightstone Cove Tseldora), so veterans of the 2014 release should not expect to play on autopilot.
- Bonfire tweaks. The first bonfire in the Undead Crypt now sits in front of the stairs rather than under them, and the Royal Army Campsite bonfire in Brightstone Cove Tseldora moved outside the tent at the entrance.
- New gear. The Agape Ring, the Greatsword of the Forlorn, the Scythe of the Forlorn and the Forlorn Set are all sold by Straid of Olaphis. Watchdragon Parma, a shield that raises item discovery when equipped, is also new.
- Rewritten lore. About 30 item descriptions were changed or expanded, from shields and rings to Olenford's Staff.
- Online changes. The maximum number of players in one session rose from 4 to 6, a special item regulates souls gained in battle to make matchmaking more consistent, and players on New Game can connect with players in New Game+ and beyond.
The new NPC, called simply the Scholar of the First Sin, acts as a narrator who appears at key points in your run. He first shows up in the room of the final primal bonfire you light, then moves to the Undead Crypt entrance, the Dragon Shrine and finally the Throne of Want.
The Lost Crowns DLC Is Included
All three expansions released for the original game come with Scholar of the First Sin. Wikipedia dates them as follows:
- Crown of the Sunken King: July 22, 2014.
- Crown of the Old Iron King: August 26, 2014.
- Crown of the Ivory King: September 30, 2014, after a short delay from September 24.
Being bundled does not mean they are handed to you. Each one still needs its key item, found through normal progress: the Dragon Talon, the Heavy Iron Key and the Frozen Flower. The DLC adds nine boss entries on the wiki, including Elana the Squalid Queen, Sinh the Slumbering Dragon, the Fume Knight, Sir Alonne, the Burnt Ivory King and the infamous Blue Smelter Demon. Base Dark Souls II already has 32 bosses by the wiki's count, so the full package is the largest boss roster in the trilogy.
Mechanics That Catch Returning Players Out
Dark Souls II plays differently from the first and third games in ways that are worth knowing before you start.
- Hollowing costs health. Every death or curse lowers your maximum HP by 5 percent, down to a floor of 50 percent. The Ring of Binding halves that penalty, capping the loss at 75 percent of your HP, and a Human Effigy alleviates hollowing when used. In the first game, being hollow mainly locked you out of multiplayer; our explainer on humanity and how to farm it in Dark Souls covers that older system.
- Agility controls your roll. Agility is a hidden stat built from Adaptability and Attunement. At 85 agility you get 6 invincibility frames on a roll; at 99 you get 12, at 105 you get 13 and at 110 you get 14. It also speeds up how fast you drink Estus.
- Soul Memory decides matchmaking. The game tallies every soul you have ever earned and pairs you with players of a similar total. The Agape Ring stops that number rising.
- Bonfire Ascetics raise difficulty locally. Burning one at a bonfire pushes that area up a New Game cycle permanently, and it respawns ground items and wooden chests in that area. Chloanne the Stone Trader sells one for 7,500 souls, and you must beat the area boss first.
None of these systems is hard to manage once you know about them, but each one punishes players who assume Dark Souls II works like the other two games. Carry a Human Effigy or two before a tough boss, put a few early points into Adaptability if rolls feel unreliable, and think twice before burning an Ascetic on an area you still need to cross.
Progress also hinges on a gate called the Shrine of Winter. It opens once you have the four great souls of the Rotten, the Lost Sinner, the Old Iron King and the Duke's Dear Freja, or once your Soul Memory reaches 1,000,000 on New Game. That threshold rises by 1,000,000 each cycle, up to 8,000,000 at the NG+7 cap.
Aldia and the New Ending
Light spoiler warning: this section describes how the ending changes, without detailing the plot. In the original game, the final boss is Nashandra, and beating her leads to the Throne of Want. Scholar of the First Sin adds a second option. If you speak with the Scholar at his appearances, defeat King Vendrick and then beat Nashandra, Aldia appears as a boss in the Throne of Want under the name Aldia, Scholar of the First Sin. He drops nothing, but defeating him unlocks an alternative ending with its own credits music, in which you can walk away from the throne instead of sitting on it.
To reach the Throne of Want at all, use the King's Ring on the door beyond the King's Gate bonfire in Drangleic Castle. The fights there come in order: the Throne Watcher and Throne Defender, then Nashandra, then Aldia if you met his conditions. We compare this choice with the first and third games' finales in our guide to every Dark Souls ending.
Online Play in November 2026
Multiplayer is an important part of Dark Souls II, but its servers have had a rough few years. On PS3 and Xbox 360, online play for the original release ended on March 31, 2024, when Bandai Namco and FromSoftware closed those servers; offline play still works there. On PC, the series' servers went down in January 2022 after a serious security flaw, and Scholar of the First Sin came back online on October 25, 2022.
More recently, FromSoftware took Dark Souls II and Dark Souls III online services offline on all platforms on October 30, 2026, and a notice a few days later blamed detected security vulnerabilities and gave no return date. Offline play is unaffected, but summoning, invasions and player messages are unavailable for now. Our Dark Souls 3 servers update tracks that notice and the 2022 precedent in detail, and if you are deciding where Dark Souls II fits in your playthrough of the series, see the Dark Souls games in order.
If You Would Rather Not Re-Farm Drangleic
For players who have finished the game and want to experiment with builds without another long farm for upgrade materials, the store's Dark Souls II: SOTFS modded save comes with 10 characters. Its product page says the second slot is the primary verified save, while the full scope of the other slots may vary. Listed contents include multiple copies of every weapon with multiple infusions (boss weapons included), all weapons and armor at +10 plus all the rings, and maxed items and item box stock.
It works on PS4 and PS5, and it requires your own copy of Scholar of the First Sin specifically, not the original Dark Souls II. See the Dark Souls II SOTFS modded save page, or browse the full Dark Souls section for the other games.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Scholar of the First Sin better than the original Dark Souls II?
For most players, yes. It includes all three DLCs, runs at 60fps on PS4, Xbox One and DirectX 11 PC, and adds the Aldia ending. Some veterans still prefer the original enemy layouts.
Does Dark Souls 2 SOTFS include the DLC?
Yes. Crown of the Sunken King, Crown of the Old Iron King and Crown of the Ivory King are all included, though you still need each key item to enter them.
Can you play Dark Souls 2 SOTFS on PS5?
Yes, the PS4 version runs on PS5 through backward compatibility. The PlayStation Store notes some PS4 features may be absent.
How many players can join a session in Scholar of the First Sin?
Up to six on PS4, Xbox One and the DirectX 11 PC version, up from four in the original. Online services are suspended as of November 2026, though.
How do you unlock the Aldia ending?
Speak with the Scholar of the First Sin where he appears, defeat Vendrick before Nashandra, then beat Aldia in the Throne of Want and leave through the fog gate.
Do you need to beat every boss to open the Shrine of Winter?
No. Either collect the four great souls or reach 1,000,000 Soul Memory on your first cycle, and the gate opens.