Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC releases on October 7, 2026 and is a cosmetic-only pack built around Sophie Laurent, The Protegee. The DLC contains one Hunter, weapon and equipment skins, plus a matching Avatar and Frame.
The pack is separate from the free Blood Testament Chapter 2 game update arriving on October 6. Buying Bound by Blood does not unlock the Chapter 2 Community Event, Story Challenge or Tarot Cards because those systems belong to the base game update rather than this cosmetic DLC.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: release date and everything included
| Item | Type |
|---|---|
| The Protegee | Hunter |
| The Primrose | Mosin-Nagant cosmetic |
| Skin Deep | Sparks Pistol and Sparks Pistol Silencer cosmetic |
| The White Fox | Ammo Box cosmetic |
| The Protegee | Avatar |
| The Protegee | Frame |
Steam lists the DLC for October 7 at 14:00 UTC. That is 3:00 PM BST in the UK while British Summer Time is still active.
Image credit: Crytek
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: release time
| Region | October 7 release time |
|---|---|
| UTC | 2:00 PM |
| United Kingdom | 3:00 PM BST |
| Central Europe | 4:00 PM CEST |
| US Eastern | 10:00 AM EDT |
| US Pacific | 7:00 AM PDT |
| India | 7:30 PM IST |
Steam currently exposes a precise 14:00 UTC unlock time for the app. Console storefront timing can differ, so the platform store is the final check outside Steam.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: The Protegee Hunter
The Protegee is Sophie Laurent, a character already connected directly to Lynch and the Blood Testament story. Her background presents her as someone who hid violent tendencies behind a harmless public image before becoming involved with Lynch’s Corruption experiments.
The DLC is cosmetic, so The Protegee does not come with an exclusive combat perk or mechanical advantage over other Hunters.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: The Primrose Mosin-Nagant
The Primrose is the Mosin-Nagant cosmetic included in the pack. Its description ties the weapon to The Protegee’s influence over Lynch and the serum experiments.
This is a skin for an existing weapon, not a new Mosin variant with different damage or handling.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: Skin Deep Sparks Pistol
Skin Deep is the Sparks Pistol cosmetic in the pack and is listed for both the standard Sparks Pistol and the Sparks Pistol Silencer.
That wording matters because Steam presents Skin Deep across both compatible Sparks Pistol forms rather than as two unrelated premium weapon purchases.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: The White Fox Ammo Box
The White Fox is an Ammo Box cosmetic. The store description frames it as equipment Lynch gave The Protegee after her transformation.
Like the weapon cosmetics, it changes appearance rather than the amount of ammunition supplied or the functionality of the consumable.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: Avatar and Frame
The package also includes a The Protegee Avatar and a matching The Protegee Frame.
Those are profile cosmetics rather than in-match equipment, giving the DLC a complete character presentation set outside the Hunter and weapon skins.
Is Bound by Blood pay-to-win?
No. Steam explicitly describes Bound by Blood as cosmetic-only DLC. It does not contain a unique gameplay weapon, Tool, Trait or stat upgrade.
The base game is required to use the content, and the core Chapter 2 mechanics remain separate from this paid cosmetic pack.
Do you need Bound by Blood for Chapter 2?
No. Blood Testament Chapter 2 launches on October 6 with compound changes, a new Community Event, Story Challenge, two Tarot Cards, a new Tool and Twitch Drops.
Bound by Blood arrives one day later as optional cosmetic DLC. You can play the Chapter 2 game content without buying The Protegee pack.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: what does ‘three Weapons’ mean on Steam?
Steam describes the package as containing three Weapons, but the listed cosmetic names are The Primrose and Skin Deep, with Skin Deep applying to the Sparks Pistol and Sparks Pistol Silencer.
The practical point is that this is not three new functional guns. The DLC supplies cosmetics for existing Hunt weapons.
What is not included
- No exclusive Trait.
- No new gameplay Tool.
- No unique Tarot Card.
- No Community Event progression boost.
- No Story Challenge shortcut.
- No Battle Pass access is listed as part of the DLC.
- No gameplay stat advantage is advertised.
Hunt Showdown Bound by Blood DLC: should you buy it?
The value is entirely cosmetic. The Protegee is the main reason to buy the pack if you like Sophie Laurent’s Blood Testament story, while the Mosin-Nagant, Sparks Pistol and Ammo Box looks make the bundle broader than a Hunter-only purchase.
If your interest is the October gameplay update rather than the character and skins, wait for Chapter 2 on October 6 because those systems do not require this DLC.
For the free update itself, see Hunt Showdown Blood Testament Chapter 2.
PlayStation Plus players still need the DLC separately
Hunt: Showdown 1896 becomes a PlayStation Plus Monthly Game on October 6, but claiming the base game does not automatically include paid cosmetic DLC.
Our PlayStation Plus October 2026 Games guide covers how the monthly claim works.
Related Guides
Official source: Hunt: Showdown 1896 Bound by Blood on Steam
