Dark Souls 2 and 3 Servers Down: What's Offline and When They're Back

Can't summon, can't invade, and the messages are gone? It's not your connection. FromSoftware took the Dark Souls 2 and Dark Souls 3 servers offline on all platforms on Friday, October 30, citing an unspecified "server issue," and as of this writing there's no return date.

Dark Souls servers down: what we know

• Games: Dark Souls II and Dark Souls III.
• Platforms: all of them: PC, PlayStation and Xbox. In 2022 only PC went down.
• When: a Japanese notice went up at 12:01 AM PT on October 30, followed by the English post at 1:45 AM PT, per Inven Global.
• Official word: servers are "temporarily unavailable on all platforms." FromSoftware says it will post updates once it knows the restoration time.
• Cause: not disclosed. Some players have linked it to the recent PHP vulnerability that knocked services offline, but FromSoftware hasn't confirmed anything.
• Return date: none yet, as of Sunday, November 1.

What still works, and what doesn't

• Down: co-op summoning, PvP invasions, player messages and bloodstains.
• Still works: both single-player campaigns, played offline.
• Not named in the notice: Elden Ring, Nightreign, Sekiro, Armored Core VI and Dark Souls Remastered. FromSoftware only listed DS2 and DS3.
• PC workaround: Yui's Seamless Co-op mod, which arrived for Dark Souls 2 at the end of September, runs on its own servers, so PC players can still team up through it, per PC Gamer.

Why players are nervous

Souls vets remember 2022. Back then, a remote code execution exploit found in the Dark Souls games pushed FromSoftware to pull the PC servers for months, right around Elden Ring's launch. Dark Souls 3 PC came back first, and full service took most of the year. This time it hits every platform, but only two games, which PC Gamer suggests could mean a smaller problem. That's a guess, not a promise.

The 2nd Shift take

Dark Souls without messages and phantoms is a different, lonelier game, and these two still have healthy communities a decade later. Pulling the plug fast and on every platform is the right move if something's actually wrong; nobody wants a repeat of 2022's exploit scare. What FromSoftware owes players now is a straight answer on the cause and a timeline. "Temporarily" carried a lot of weight last time. Until it's fixed, PC players have the mod; console players are hollowing out solo.

Need someone to suffer through Lothric with? Find co-op partners in the 2nd Shift Discord. We'll update this page when the servers come back.

Keep reading: The Duskbloods Delayed to 2027: Release Date and Why and Best Co-Op Games to Play With Friends (2026).

Sources: PC Gamer, GamesRadar+, Inven Global, Cyber Kendra.