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For a spoiler-conscious playthrough, finish the Sleeping Dogs campaign first, then play Nightmare in North Point, and finish with Year of the Snake. That sequence puts the campaign ending in the right place, postpones the expansion that an independent guide flags for main-story spoilers, and ends with the expansion Square Enix explicitly describes as taking place immediately after the original game.
This is a recommended access and spoiler order, not proof that the two expansions have a fully documented fictional chronology relative to each other. Both are separate menu stories in the Definitive Edition, so you can select either without treating it as a normal campaign mission.
| Name | Best for | Key spec | Platforms | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Main Sleeping Dogs campaign | Establishing the story before either expansion | Finish the original story before the DLC for the safest spoiler experience | Definitive Edition on PS4 and Steam | Nov 2026 |
| Nightmare in North Point | A supernatural side story after the campaign | Released October 30, 2012; independent guide warns of main-story spoilers | Definitive Edition Main Menu; Steam and PS4 editions | Nov 2026 |
| Year of the Snake | The final post-game chapter | Six missions set immediately after the original story, with Wei back in the Hong Kong Police Department | Definitive Edition Main Menu; Steam and PS4 editions | Nov 2026 |
What order should I play the Sleeping Dogs DLC?
The clearest order is:
- Complete the main Sleeping Dogs campaign. This gives you the character and plot context that both expansions assume.
- Play Nightmare in North Point. Treat it as a separate supernatural adventure after the campaign. Waiting avoids the main-story spoilers identified by an independent GameFAQs guide.
- Play Year of the Snake last. Square Enix describes this expansion as taking place immediately after the main game, with Wei rejoining the Hong Kong Police Department. It works naturally as the closing chapter of this set of stories.
You do not need to insert either expansion between ordinary campaign missions. The two named stories are separately selectable from the Definitive Edition Main Menu, while some other DLC items and missions can appear during the campaign.
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You can select it early when the edition exposes the story from its Main Menu, but doing so is a poor choice if you want to avoid spoilers. The warning comes from an independent detailed guide rather than an official Square Enix completion rule, so “finish the campaign first” is best understood as spoiler management, not a technical unlock requirement.
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Nightmare in North Point has a deliberately different tone from the crime drama. Steam’s release notice presents a supernatural plot involving Wei’s girlfriend, vampires, demons and ghosts from his past. Those elements are easier to appreciate after you understand Wei’s relationships and the main story’s outcome.
If you have already started the expansion, you have not damaged the campaign’s playable missions. The practical consequence is that you may encounter story information earlier than intended; you can return to the campaign afterward and continue normally. No cited source establishes a required save conversion or a particular transfer of progress between the DLC and the main campaign, so do not assume one.
Does Year of the Snake happen after the main ending?
Yes. This is the one expansion for which the publisher gives an explicit relative timeline. Square Enix says its missions are set immediately after the main game and that Wei rejoins the Hong Kong Police Department.
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The Steam release notice describes Year of the Snake as six new missions following the original story. Its premise centers on a Hong Kong cult investigation; Square Enix calls the group the Cult of the Snake and describes it as an end-of-the-world movement growing in the city’s back streets.
Because the expansion is post-game by description, playing it before the campaign ending can expose the protagonist’s status and consequences earlier than intended. Starting it after the credits keeps its setup legible without requiring you to infer where it belongs.
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Which DLC should I play first?
Nightmare in North Point comes first in the recommended sequence, but Year of the Snake has the stronger official placement after the campaign. The distinction matters: a release date explains when downloadable content arrived, not necessarily when its fictional events occur.
| Comparison | Nightmare in North Point | Year of the Snake |
|---|---|---|
| Spoiler risk | An independent guide expressly warns that it can spoil the main story; delay it until the campaign is complete. | Its post-game setting can reveal the aftermath of the ending; play after the campaign. |
| Publisher-confirmed timeline | No cited official description fixes its position relative to Year of the Snake. | Square Enix says it is set immediately after the original game. |
| Tone and premise | Supernatural story with vampires, demons and ghosts connected to Wei’s past. | Police-focused post-game investigation into the Cult of the Snake. |
| How you access it | Separate story selectable from the Definitive Edition Main Menu. | Separate story selectable from the Definitive Edition Main Menu. |
| Original release notice | October 30, 2012. | March 12, 2013. |
The dates show that Nightmare in North Point was released first, followed by Year of the Snake. They support the practical sequence above, but they are not evidence that the supernatural story must occur before the police investigation in the fictional timeline.
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What is the difference between access order, spoiler order and fictional chronology?
These are three different questions, and confusing them creates most DLC-order advice errors.
Access order
In the Definitive Edition, Feral Interactive’s FAQ says the two stories are separate from the main-story mode and that “You can access them via the Main Menu.” Selecting a tile or menu entry starts the chosen story; they are not ordinary missions that have to be discovered at a particular point in the campaign.
Spoiler-safe order
This is the practical recommendation: campaign, then Nightmare in North Point, then Year of the Snake. It delays the expansion that an independent guide flags for main-story spoilers and keeps the explicitly post-game expansion until the end.
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Fictional chronology
Square Enix explicitly places Year of the Snake immediately after the main game. The cited official descriptions do not establish whether Nightmare in North Point occurs before, after or alongside that police storyline. Therefore, do not present the recommended order as a confirmed in-universe sequence between the two DLCs.
How do I start the DLC in Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition?
You need a copy of the Definitive Edition on a supported storefront or console. The edition integrates the previously released DLC rather than requiring separate purchases of these two stories.
- Launch Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition.
- At the title screen, open the Main Menu rather than loading a campaign mission.
- Choose the entry for Nightmare in North Point or Year of the Snake.
- Start the selected story and keep its save data in the profile or slot offered by the game. The available sources do not document a specific cross-story save-transfer rule, so use the game’s own prompts instead of expecting campaign progress to carry over.
Feral’s FAQ identifies both expansions as separate Main Menu stories. That explains why you may see them before completing the campaign and why they do not need to be inserted into the mission list.
Are both expansions included in the Definitive Edition?
Yes. The Steam listing and the US PlayStation description say the Definitive Edition integrates 24 previously available DLC extensions, including Nightmare in North Point and Year of the Snake. The number refers to integrated DLC extensions, not 24 separate full-length story campaigns.
If you already own the Definitive Edition, do not treat the two stories as add-ons that must be bought again. Original-release editions and storefront bundles can have different entitlements, so check the product name and included-content list for the copy you own rather than relying on the word “Sleeping Dogs” alone.
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What platforms and edition details should I check?
The directly documented modern editions are the Steam release and the PS4 Sleeping Dogs: Definitive Edition. Square Enix’s 2014 PlayStation Blog announcement identifies the PS4 edition, while the US PlayStation product description lists the integrated DLC. These references describe editions, not a guarantee that every marketplace currently has physical stock or a particular price.
PlayStation’s US listing warns that running this PS4 version on PS5 may produce errors or unexpected behavior. If you plan to play on PS5, treat backward compatibility as conditional rather than assuming flawless operation; verify the current console listing and any available system notes before purchase.
For PC, the Steam FAQ is the relevant access reference: the two stories are selected from the Main Menu. Storefront availability, regional packaging and account entitlements can change, so confirm that the listing is the Definitive Edition and that the two named expansions are included.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Does the DLC spoil the ending?
Nightmare in North Point carries the clearest documented spoiler warning: the independent guide specifically flags main-story spoilers. Year of the Snake is also safer after the ending because its publisher-confirmed setup begins immediately afterward and follows Wei’s return to police work.
The safest practice is to finish the campaign before launching either story. If you prefer to sample the supernatural expansion first and accept the risk, the menu permits that in the Definitive Edition; the recommendation changes only because of what you want to keep unspoiled, not because the game states a mandatory unlock order.
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How this recommendation was chosen
The sequence uses four criteria supported by the available product and release descriptions:
- Explicit timeline evidence: Square Enix’s statement that Year of the Snake is immediately after the main game.
- Independent spoiler evidence: the GameFAQs guide’s warning about Nightmare in North Point.
- Access behavior: Feral’s confirmation that both stories are separate Main Menu selections.
- Release context: the October 2012 and March 2013 release notices, used only to explain publication sequence, not to claim fictional chronology.
This combination gives you a clear playthrough without overstating what the official descriptions do not establish about the two expansions’ relative in-universe dates.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do the DLC stories share the same save as the main campaign?
The documented behavior is that both expansions launch as separate Main Menu stories. The cited edition information does not specify whether money, skills, collectibles or other progress transfers between them, so rely on the save and profile prompts shown by your copy of the game.
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The sources confirm separate menu access, but they do not describe a replay or chapter-select feature. If replay options matter to you, check the post-completion menu in your platform edition rather than assuming that the campaign’s replay behavior applies.
Is the 24-DLC count 24 separate story campaigns?
No. The Steam and US PlayStation descriptions call them 24 previously available DLC extensions. Only the two named expansions in this guide are substantial standalone stories with their own menu entries.
Does playing on PS5 change the recommended order?
No; the story recommendation is the same. The US PlayStation listing does warn that the PS4 version running on PS5 may show errors or unexpected behavior, which is a platform-compatibility issue rather than a narrative one.
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