Elden Ring Nightreign: Setting, co-op gameplay, everything we know

In what may have been the most unexpected announcement of The Game Awards 2024, FromSoftware revealed Elden Ring Nightreign, a new standalone co-op title. Here is everything we know about the game and what players can expect.

FromSoftware’s smash hit Elden Ring took the world by storm when it released in 2022. Beloved by players and critics alike, it took home 2022’s coveted Game of the Year award, and it hasn’t slowed down since.

In June 2024, fans were treated to the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC which expanded the game beyond what players thought was possible. While it was confirmed to be the sole DLC that Elden Ring would receive, FromSoftware had hinted that they were not done with the IP.

If you thought that meant a possible sequel in a few years time, think again. Elden Ring Nightreign was revealed at The Game Awards 2024, and this standalone spin-off is unlike anything we’ve ever seen from its developer. Here’s what we know.

FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

Elden Ring Nightreign is unlike any game FromSoftware has ever produced.

What is Elden Ring Nightreign?

As previously mentioned, Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone co-op spin-off of Elden Ring set in the Lands Between. In an interview with IGN, Game Director Junya Ishizaki revealed that this multiplayer-driven take on the popular IP is meant to distill the core elements of its predecessor into bite-sized runs.

“Initially when we set out to make Nightreign, we wanted to create what we’re calling a condensed RPG experience,” Ishizaki explained. “We wanted to take all those elements from Elden Ring that players enjoyed like the exploration, the building of the character, fighting tough bosses, the sense of discovery, and condense that into a shorter, tighter play session.”

So, how does that work?

Co-op gameplay explained

In Elden Ring Nightreign, players will work in teams of three in a gameplay loop that includes the same combat, loot, and leveling of Elden Ring while also drawing inspiration from titles like Fortnite and the Diablo franchise. You start by picking one of eight character archetypes that players familiar with FromSoftware games will recognize.

While we don’t have details on every type of character you can choose from, the following four classes have received a shot rundown:

• Wylder: a balanced speed and attack-focused hero.
• Guardian: A tank-like character focused on heavy attacks and high damage resistance.
• Duchess: A lightweight hero who is focused on quick gameplay mechanics.
• Recluse: A classic mage hero who will have ranged magical attacks to do damage from afar.

FromSoftware

You’ll want to make sure your squad has different strengths and weaknesses.

Once you and your teammates have selected your characters, you’ll be dropped into the area of Limveld. What’s strange about Limveld is that the locations and enemy types are shuffled around from session to session.

From here, you’ll be able to explore this particular instance of Limveld to defeat enemies, loot weapons and armor, and level your character for the coming challenge.

You see, your area of exploration will steadily shrink over 15 minutes in a manner similar to battle royale games.

When it has shrunk to its smallest size, players will have to take on a boss together, so you better hope you’ve spent your time wisely. Each play session consists of three of these rounds, and the challenge is increased with each major boss you defeat.

Players can drop pins on points of interest and direct their teammates to the best potential grinding spots. You’ll encounter mini-bosses from Elden Ring like Tree Sentinels, but there will also be tonnes of new enemies against which to test your mettle.

FromSoftware has added a new suite of movement mechanics to help you navigate Limveld more quickly such as vaulting and even gliding. While its difficulty is as punishing as you’d expect from the developer, there are also options to revive downed teammates so they don’t lose their progress in your session.

You can see snippets of this in the game’s reveal from The Game Awards 2024.

Is there a release date?

Elden Ring Nightreign doesn’t have a concrete release date but the game is scheduled to arrive sometime in 2025.

Given that the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC is still relatively fresh, we’d hold out hopes for the reveal of a full release date any time soon.

However, the game will be launching its first Network Test on January 10, 2025.

This will give some players the opportunity to try the game in its early stages and iron out many of its bugs before full release later in the year.

You can get involved by clicking the link embedded in FromSoftware’s tweet.

Elden Ring Nightreign trailer

Elden Ring Nightreign’s initial reveal trailer shows off the faster-paced co-op gameplay you can expect to experience.

It calls players to challenge someone called the Night Lord and it will be interesting to see if FromSoftware continues their usual style of narrative delivery for this spin-off.

It also features a bunch of new and returning enemies – including returning bosses from Dark Souls 3.

Dark Souls crossover

The game will involve an official crossover between Elden Ring and Dark Souls, with enemies from Lordran invading the Lands Between. This marks the first crossover event between Soulsborne games and finally confirms that at least some of FromSoftware’s games exist in a shared multiverse.

In an interview with Famitsu, Elden Ring Nightreign’s director, Junya Ishizaki, revealed that Elden Ring Nightreign is set in a parallel world to the original Elden Ring and that the Shattering War caused a fracture in reality that spun off into multiple universes.

In this one, characters from Dark Souls were pulled through time and space and found themselves in the Lands Between, a world not too different from their own.

FromSoftware/Bandai Namco

The Nameless King, a Dark Souls 3 boss, battles the Tarnished.

Speaking about the crossover, Ishizaki said, “It is a parallel world. The common point is that there was once a Shattering War in the Land Between, and words and settings from Elden Ring appear, but other than that, it is a different story.”

He continued, “Enemies from the Dark Souls series will appear, but only a little. In terms of the setting, they are drawn from another world due to the influence of the King of Night, the original villain. In Elden Ring Nightreign, we value the sense of chaos that various things attack at night.”

“In that sense, I thought it would be interesting to have enemies from another world appear, so I got permission from Miyazaki and Yui Tanimura, the director of Dark Souls 2, and decided to have them appear.”

That’s everything we know about Elden Ring Nightreign so far. We’ll be sure to update this release guide with more information as we get closer to the game’s launch.