Yesterday, April 1, Red Hook Studios teased a new DLC for "Darkest Dungeon": a last man standing hero versus hero arena battle! It's a witty gag worthy of April Fool's Day. Actually, it was a double-reverse fake-out: the Butcher's Circus PvP DLC is real and will be released next month, barring any unforeseen delays.

The circus has come to town! In the warped world of Darkest Dungeon, that means it's time for some wholesome family entertainment in the form of gladiatorial combat, and the DLC adds a new location to the hamlet, Butcher's Circus, where players will fight in teams of four for belts (or at least higher ranks ) to fight for the belt. Blood will be spilled and spirits will be crushed, but fortunately, no one you actually care about will appear at first: according to Red Hook, rivals can participate in PvP combat "without endangering the campaign hero."

New gladiatorial trinkets will help tip the scales in combat, and an unlockable banner component will allow combatants to design their own PvP crests. Darkest Dungeon composer Stuart Chatwood will create a "gleefully distorted musical theme" for the DLC, which will also feature narrator Wayne June and SFX creator Power Up Audio.

The PvP brawl is an unexpected addition to a game that is deeply immersed in depicting the effects of psychological fear on the human mind. The game excels as a tactical dungeon crawler, but what stands out is its depiction of the psychological damage that a life of adventure can do to a hero. Red Hook did not say how or if "The Butcher's Circus" handles that aspect, but the Steam listing says players must "cut through the misery and violence" so the only thing fighters need to watch out for is the face It may not be just about taking an axe to the head.

Darkest Dungeon: The Butcher's Circus is due out in May. Red Hook also confirmed that Darkest Dungeon 2, announced for February 2019, is still in development.