Elden Ring Nightreign came as quite a surprise when it was announced at The Game Awards 2024, considering that FromSoftware had confidently stated that it wasn't working on Elden Ring 2. Although it isn't a true sequel, it is a spin-off set in a world parallel to the one seen in the original Elden Ring and is set to deliver on a co-op experience that many fans of Soulsbornes have wanted for a long time. In fact, this is the main premise and draw of Nightreign, being more of a co-op rogue-lite than a traditional soulslike.

It should be noted that Soulsborne games have had online features in the past, with players able to summon others to help with certain sequences or bosses, but these online systems were not conducive to playing with friends for an entire playthrough. It could still be done, but players would have to do sequences twice, once for them, and once for their friend; however, Nightreign is taking what the seamless co-op mod did for Elden Ring and making it official. Still, playing Nightreign with a friend might not be as simple as it should be.

Elden Ring Nightreign Players Won't Be Able To Duo

It's Either Single Player Or In A Trio

Although Elden Ring Nightreign is already known as the co-op souls game with Fortnite-like elements, it doesn't allow for two characters to attempt a three-day run. Players can either go it alone or play in a group of three, according to IGN. There is no in-between, and this is a strange choice considering that many players tend to pair up when going through Soulsborne games. FromSoftware games have always been known for making odd choices here and there, but this could be a massive turn-off for players looking to pick up the game with a friend.

A complete Nightreign run will take three nights, with each day taking roughly fifteen minutes, being forty-five minutes in total.

This doesn't mean that players won't be able to play in a duo at all, as random matchmaking will likely make up the final spot. It doesn't seem like this spot can be made up by an NPC either, since offline play has been described as single-player-only thus far, and players won't have a mimic to carry them. It seems like FromSoftware is trying to encourage random matchmaking and a vast pool of online play, but it should be noted that Nightreign won't be a live-service title like Fortnite, which it gets mockingly referenced to.

Having Three Players Instead Of Two Is Strange

The Entire Game Is Based Around Having A Squad Of Three

FromSoftware choosing to base the game around three people over two is odd, and it was stated by Junya Ishizaki (the game's director) that it was an intentional choice to make the game unique. In truth, the game does seem to be a unique combination of many elements, from the ring closing in to dropping in with a bird on the map, and even the enemies are based around fighting three opponents. The three-headed dog enemy can split up into three to chase the players, and the Centipede (based on DS1's Centipede Demon) can attack in three directions at once.

Nightreign is Ishizaki's first game as director, having worked with Hidetaka Miyazaki during the conceptual stages of the game.

The game will play differently depending on whether there is a squad of three or a single player, and the changes will likely be the number of enemies on the map or the kind of bosses faced. It does seem like these modular difficulty settings could have been used to change the enemies when there is a duo, but Nightreign and FromSoftware are adamant that the game will have either one or three players. There is a chance that this could change in the future, if there is enough of an outcry, but that chance is slim to none.

Nightreign Could Be The Future Of Soulsborne Co-op Play

It Is One Big FromSoftware Experiment

Nightreign's trailer seems to paint the game as a massive experiment for FromSoftware, making it a faster title than ever. There are more traversal options, characters with over-the-top abilities, and co-op exploration which could be the future of FromSoftware's co-op play. Instead of reviving at a Site of Grace or Bonfire, players will have a downed state in which they can be revived by fellow squad by being hit by them, which doubles as a unique revival method and a fun way to illustrate frustrations with the downed player.

There's so much going on with Nightreign that, although the game will have elements from other titles, it will be unique for a Soulsborne game. Using Elden Ring as a base allows this game to try something brand-new, and these experiments could be taken to future, large-scale games. The traversal options and co-op exploration could go beyond just this rouge-lite title, and be part of a Dark Souls 4 or an Elden Ring 2, provided that FromSoftware delivers with Elden Ring Nightreign.

Source: IGN