Brotato Primal Dread Characters: The 10 New Characters Explained

What Is the Brotato: Primal Dread DLC?

Brotato: Primal Dread is the second major expansion for the hit top-down arena shooter roguelite Brotato. Developed by Blobfish Games together with Evil Empire and released on November 2, 2026 for $3.99, the DLC sends the six-weapon-wielding potato out of the abyss and into a hostile prehistoric jungle filled with mutated and cyber-enhanced predators — including mecha and mutant dinosaurs.

According to the official Steam store page, the expansion was first announced in July 2026 (as covered by GoNintendo) and its release date was revealed in the Triple-i Initiative Fall Showcase 2026 trailer on October 8.

Brotato Primal Dread Characters: How Many and What to Expect

The headline addition for most players is the roster of Brotato Primal Dread characters. The DLC adds 10 new characters, each with unique starting stats, traits, and playstyle twists that build on Brotato's "dozens of characters" design philosophy from the base game.

Key things to know about the new character roster:

• 10 new characters are included with the DLC, on top of the dozens already in the base game.
• The characters are themed around the prehistoric jungle setting, pairing with the new enemies, elites, and bosses introduced on the DLC map.
• Because the DLC launched alongside Update 1.2, which rebalanced Nightmare difficulty and added a new base-game feature, several of the new characters are designed to interact with fresh game mechanics introduced in the same patch.
• Character unlocks follow the same loop as the rest of Brotato: complete runs, collect materials, and progress through the new 20-wave jungle map to gain access to the full roster.

Since all 10 characters launched at once with the DLC on November 2, 2026, community guides and the in-game character select screen are currently the fastest way to see each character's exact stat lines and starting weapons as players begin cataloging them.

How the New Characters Fit Brotato's Core Loop

Even with a bigger roster, the fundamentals that define every Brotato character remain unchanged. As described on GoNintendo, you control a potato who can hold up to six weapons at once, survive waves lasting 20 to 90 seconds, and spend collected materials on items and weapons between waves.

Each character — old or new — reshapes that loop in a different way:

The Primal Dread characters are built around the DLC's new mechanics, so expect at least some of them to reward jungle-specific strategies rather than simply replaying base-game builds on a new map.

Everything Else Included in Primal Dread

The 10 new characters are only one slice of the expansion. Per the Steam feature list, the DLC also packs in:

• New map with 20 waves of new enemies, elites, and bosses
• 17 new weapons
• 40 new items
• New game mechanics
• New music tracks
• New achievements (21 Steam achievements are listed for the DLC, including ones like Crate Expectations and Egg Hunt)

Price, Bundles, and How to Unlock the Characters

The Primal Dread characters are exclusive to the DLC, so you will need to own it to play them. Here is how the purchasing options break down, based on the current Steam listings:

Keep in mind that the DLC requires the base game Brotato on Steam to play. It supports single-player and shared/split-screen co-op, Steam Workshop, Steam Cloud, Remote Play Together, and Family Sharing. It is also available in 13 languages, including English, French, German, Japanese, Korean, and Simplified Chinese.

FAQ

How many characters does Brotato: Primal Dread add?

The DLC adds 10 new characters to Brotato's existing roster of dozens, according to the official Steam feature list.

Do the Primal Dread characters require the base game?

Yes. The DLC is not standalone — you must own Brotato on Steam to install and play Primal Dread.

How do I unlock the new characters?

Characters unlock through normal Brotato progression: playing runs, completing challenges, and advancing through the new jungle map's 20 waves. The characters themed around the DLC's new mechanics may require specific in-run conditions, so check each character's unlock hint on the character select screen.

Can I use the new characters in co-op?

The DLC supports shared/split-screen co-op alongside single-player, so the new characters can be used in local cooperative sessions.

Why are the DLC's reviews mixed?

As of early November 2026, the DLC sits at around 60% positive across roughly 500 Steam reviews. Common discussion points have focused on the content volume relative to the $3.99 price and balance changes shipped in Update 1.2, though opinions vary — check recent reviews before purchasing.