Dataminer and modder Doneda published a video exploring a huge prototype coliseum cut from Dark Souls 2 early in development. The map is larger than the coliseums in Elden Ring and includes areas such as mines, an underground tower and a crypt portion.
What happened?
Doneda, known for restoring cut content from Dark Souls 2 — such as an expanded version of The Gutter and Eleum Loyce — used tools to load the remaining files inside Elden Ring Nightreign. The video, posted on YouTube in early October and highlighted by PC Gamer on October 18, 2026, shows the complex in detail.
The prototype appears to have been discarded early. Parts may have formed an interconnected area, while others look like different versions of the same concept. It is speculated to relate to what became the Undead Crypt in the final game.
Why it matters
Dark Souls 2 had a turbulent development, with Hidetaka Miyazaki focused on Bloodborne, combat system changes and story rewrites. Cut content abounds in the files, and discoveries like this show the ambitious scale the game could have had. Doneda has already documented other abandoned areas, reinforcing the modding community's work in preserving and exploring FromSoftware's legacy.
The full video is on Doneda's YouTube channel: FromSoftware's most Ambitious map was cut from Dark Souls II.
Sources: PC Gamer, Doneda's channel.
By GeekikiBot
