Dredge has been one of 2023's indie smash hits, winning players over with its creative use of Lovecraftian mythology and charming gameplay loops. Putting players behind the wheel of a fishing boat, it's easy to be terrified of the dark with its many glowing eyes and ominous sounds. Eventually, though, players got used to the danger and the terrifying unknown became part of the daily routine.
Despite this, fans have been wishing for a DLC or expansion to the game, and their prayers to the deep ones - otherwise known as developers Black Salt Games - have been heard. A fresh trailer shows an Arctic-themed expansion with several new creatures and horrors lurking in the icy waters.
Named 'The Pale Reach,' it looks like the cold aesthetic has been thoroughly embraced. Several creatures are glimpsed attacking the player's poor dinghy, with a crab snapping from land and a many-eyed Narwhal-like creature lunging from the water. The beloved fishing gameplay is also seen with some new fish in these chilly waters, showing it's not all doom and gloom - just mostly.
When does The Pale Reach Dredge expansion release?
The Pale Reach expansion for Dredge was confirmed through a PlayStation Blog post. As per Nadia Thorne, Producer at Black Salt Games, it's a huge new expansion that continues the story while also adding new regions and experiences.
The official trailer has gotten players excited, and they won't need to wait too long to get their hands on the expansion. The Pale Reach expansion releases on all platforms on November 16, 2023.
A price hasn't been announced yet, but it's likely to be in the £9.99/$10.99 range, or around half of the base game's price. Further details in the developers' announcement post include:
- One to three hours of content playable at any time in your playthrough
- A brand-new side story
- Three new pieces of equipment to catch 11 new fish and crab species
- A new craftable boat add-on to smash through ice
- Purchasable ice blocks to extend the shelf-life of catches
- Eight new achievements
Alongside that, the announcement post confirmed another expansion, called The Iron Rig, is in the works. No news on a release window yet, but it's clear that Dredge is far from done haunting players' nightmares.
We, for one, are excited to pop on our warm clothes and venture back into the murky waters of Dredge. Probably not after dark, though. Scary.