What you need to know
- The first major update for Dragon's Dogma 2, Capcom's new long-awaited ARPG sequel, has been released on PC and PS5. The patch hasn't come out on Xbox yet, though the developers say it's planned to come "in the next few days."
- The patch adds the option to start a new game if you have an ongoing playthrough and expands the number of Art of Metamorphosis appearance change items available in-game to 99, while also making a quest that allows you to obtain a permanent residence accessible earlier in the story.
- This update also makes motion blur and ray tracing toggleable and adds a 30 FPS cap option on console, and both improves DLSS quality and fixes a model display bug on PC.
- Fixes and improvements for poor PC performance are slated to come in "future updates," though it's currently unclear when players can expect these to release.
A few days after developer Capcom first revealed a series of beneficial changes coming to its new single player ARPG Dragon's Dogma 2, the studio has released a special Title Update for the long-awaited sequel that pushes them live. It's available to download and install now for players on PC and PS5, though notably, it hasn't come out on Xbox yet. Capcom says "updates to Xbox Series X|S are planned in the next few days," though, so users of Microsoft's consoles shouldn't have to wait long.
Though it's almost impossible to tell by reading the official patch notes thanks to one of the worst text and webpage background color combinations I've ever seen (check the image below and you'll understand), the update, as expected, adds the option to start a new game if you already have a playthrough going. Additionally, it also expanded the number of Art of Metamorphosis tomes available in the vanilla game from 2 to 99, allowing players to change character appearance frequently if they want to (provided they've got the Rift Crystals needed).
These are the largest adjustments the patch makes to the game by far, and they eliminate the need for players to dig in their files and delete their saves or install mods that add more appearance change items. Notably, a quest that allows you to get a house has been made available earlier as well, which gives early game players an alternative to camping and inn rests.
Beyond new gameplay options and direct tweaks, the Title Update also includes solutions for "miscellaneous text display issues" and "miscellaneous bug fixes." Additionally, on console, both motion blur and ray tracing can now be toggled, and there's a new option for capping Dragon's Dogma 2's framerate at 30 FPS, too.
• DD2 FAQ and guide list
• DD2 vocation guide and skills list
• The Nameless Village quest
• DD2 on gaming handhelds
• Greatsword and Archistaff quest
• DD2 monster bestiary
The patch features PC-specific changes as well, though don't get your hopes up for improved performance if yours has been lackluster (mine has been fine on an RTX 3070 gaming rig, but player experiences vary pretty wildly). Image quality while using DLSS has been improved and "an issue related to the display of models under some specific settings" got fixed, but Capcom says framerate improvements aren't coming until "future updates." Note that you'll find a full overview of all the patch notes in the section at the end of this article.
The size of the update is fairly large at 1.6GB on PC, and is likely around the same on PS5 since all versions of Dragon's Dogma 2 are about 60-70GB total. I suspect this will be the file size of the Xbox patch, too, though we won't know for sure until it's released in the coming days.
Overall, this looks to be a pretty solid opening update for Capcom's new open world fantasy game, though PC players experiencing serious performance issues will no doubt be disappointed by its lack of enhancements in that department. It's also unfortunate that Xbox fans have to wait for the patch, though this might be a case of Microsoft's update certification process slowing things down like it did for Palworld earlier this year. That's just speculation, though.
Though Dragon's Dogma 2 had an extremely tumultuous launch due to the last-minute reveal of a microtransaction store, it's since risen to a "Mixed" rating on Steam and is steadily getting more positive reviews from players. Personally, I detest Capcom's inclusion of microtransactions in a single player RPG, but they're ultimately not intrusive to the gameplay experience at all and won't stop me from strongly recommending what will undoubtedly be one of 2024's Game of the Year contenders.
Dragon's Dogma 2 Title Update: Patch notes
I've listed the Title Update's full patch notes below so you don't have to try and read them off of Capcom's awfully designed webpage.
PlayStation 5 / Steam
- Adding the option to start a new game when save data already exists.
- Changing the number of "Art of Metamorphosis" items available at Pawn Guilds in the game to 99.
- Making the quest that allows players to acquire their own dwelling (where they can save and rest) available earlier in the game.
- Miscellaneous text display issues.
- Miscellaneous bug fixes.
PlayStation 5
- Adding the option* to switch Motion Blur on/off in Options.
- Adding the option* to switch Ray Tracing on/off in Options.
- Adding the option to set Frame Rate at Max 30fps in Options.
Steam
- Improving quality when DLSS SUPER RESOLUTION is enabled.
- Fixing an issue related to the display of models under some specific settings.
- These options won't affect frame rate significantly. Improvements to frame rate are planned for future updates.
Updates to Xbox Series X|S are planned in the next few days.
Dragon's Dogma 2 is available now, and it's one of the best Xbox games and best PC games you can play in 2024 if you love action RPGs with deep, varied combat and rich fantasy worlds. Capcom's new title is playable on Xbox Series X|S, Windows PC, and PS5 for $69.99.
