Blood drips again in Dead Cells, as Dracula’s castle opens its gates through the Castlevania DLC. Whether you’re on Nintendo, PC, PlayStation, or Xbox, here’s how to trigger the crossover and access one of the game’s most atmospheric expansions yet.
Dead Cells: Return to Castlevania includes a tasteful amount of fan service alongside two new biomes, plus a fight against… Well, no spoilers, but if you’re familiar with Castlevania, let’s just say You Know Who. The expansion is, however, like all things Dead Cells: kind of confusing! Once you’re in the new biomes, you’ll find the format fairly familiar (find weapons, kill things, try not to die). It’s the act of starting the Dead Cells Castlevania DLC that’s the issue.
How to start Dead Cells ‘Return to Castlevania’ DLC
After installing the Return to Castlevania DLC, begin a new run from the Prisoners’ Quarters and look for a character dressed as Richter Belmont near the starting area. Speaking to him opens a route to the Castle’s Outskirts, which serves as the first area of the expansion. If he doesn’t appear, defeat the first boss once to activate the encounter, then revisit the Prisoners’ Quarters to find the entrance.
If you’re operating from a fresh playthrough, you’ll need to die three times before starting the Dead Cells DLC. On your next life, a gaggle of bats will fly across your screen. Note that you’re not looking for the typical bats that periodically flutter out of Dead Cells‘ caverns – these bats are significantly larger. And redder.
Once you see those bats, you’ll be able start Return to Castlevania by talking to Richter. He’s located somewhere in Prisoner’s Quarters, the starting area of all runs. Don’t exit the biome before you’ve chatted with Richter. (Richter’s exact location is indeterminate; Dead Cells levels are procedurally generated in a random fashion every time you reset.)
After you find Richter, he’ll lead you through a series of pathways, which eventually leads to the Castle’s Outskirts biome. Castle’s Outskirts is an alternate pathway for the second biome of your Dead Cells runs. Heads up that it’s noticeably more difficult than the other three options – Toxic Sewers, the Promenade of the Condemned, and the Dilapidated Arboretum – so you’d do well to scour Prisoner’s Quarters for as many level-ups as you can find before proceeding.
Where to find Richter Belmont in Prisoner’s Quarters
Richter Belmont appears in the Prisoner’s Quarters after you’ve died or restarted three times (when hanging flasks appear) and red bats fly across the screen.
Location Details
Explore the Prisoner’s Quarters thoroughly before exiting, as its procedural layout varies each run. He’s typically in a hallway or open area, standing in front of special stairs or a door leading to the Castlevania entrance (often bottom-right or midway through).
Interaction Tips
Speak to him-he’ll offer help against Dracula. Proceed down the stairs behind him to Castle’s Outskirts. On later runs, the stairs alone mark the spot without Richter.
What do the red bats signal in Prisoner’s Quarters
Red bats flying across the screen in Prisoner’s Quarters signal that the Return to Castlevania DLC is active and accessible in that run.
Signal Meaning
They appear right after weapon selection once you’ve met prerequisites (DLC installed, at least three deaths total). This visual cue indicates Richter Belmont and special stairs to the DLC entrance (Castle’s Outskirts) are present somewhere in the biome.
Next Steps
Search the procedurally generated Prisoner’s Quarters fully before exiting-look for Richter near the bottom-right or midway, often by distinctive stairs.
