Everything We Know About Elden Ring Nightreign

Recently, the gaming press shared their first impressions of FromSoftware's next project. There's plenty of new information, and we finally have a clear understanding of what kind of game Elden Ring Nightreign is shaping up to be. This article gathers the key features.

Nightreign is a three-player co-op action game in the style of all previous Souls-like titles from the Japanese studio, but with some ideas and concepts borrowed from the roguelike and battle royale genres. In a way, FromSoftware is creating its own version of Escape from Tarkov or Hunt: Showdown 1896.

Much of what gamers love about the original Elden Ring and other FromSoftware games remains in Nightreign: engaging combat, memorable bosses, and punishing difficulty. However, the new project condenses Elden Ring’s formula into a session-based online game with short missions lasting 30-45 minutes. The main focus is on replayability.

Every mission lasts three in-game days and is divided into five short stages: first day, first night, second day, second night, and a final boss battle.

Each session begins in a hub — the Roundtable Hold, familiar to many gamers from the original Elden Ring. Here, players select classes, choose the final boss they will face at the end of the mission (similar to Monster Hunter), and matchmake with friends or random players. Solo play is not available, but the developers may add a two-player mode in the future instead of the current three-player requirement.

Once the run starts, giant eagles drop the heroes onto the map (a nod to battle royale games). The goal is to quickly find good loot and level up fast enough to survive against powerful enemies. Meanwhile, the map constantly shrinks, forcing players to make split-second decisions on optimal routes.

If you've followed online games over the past decade, this should all feel familiar. However, unlike similar games, Nightreign has no PvP, and there’s no competition with other teams since only three heroes are present on the map.

At the start of a match, all characters begin at level one with basic gear. To improve, players must collect runes from defeated enemies, find weapons, talismans, and unique modifiers that enhance their characters. Quick navigation is key to identifying priority points of interest — such as churches for upgrading healing flasks or castles where minibosses guard valuable rewards. Hesitation can be deadly, as a magical storm slowly engulfs the entire area, catching and killing any unprepared heroes.

At the end of the first day, players must fight a "night boss." This serves as a serious test of how well they have leveled up. If the team isn’t strong enough or lacks coordination, there’s a high chance they’ll all perish, forcing a restart of the mission.

If the team defeats the night boss, the second day begins: the map opens again for exploration, but enemies become stronger — along with the quality of loot. After defeating the second night boss, the run reaches its final stage: the third day. Here, exploration is no longer necessary — players only need to defeat the most powerful boss.

The classes in Nightreign differ significantly from each other. Choosing a Nightfarer means selecting a fully unique character with a distinct set of abilities. There will be eight such characters in total, but only four are currently known.

The so-called Wylder is a warrior with access to a grappling hook, which allows him to pull smaller enemies toward himself or close the distance with larger foes by latching onto them. Like all Nightfarers, he has an ultimate ability — an explosive attack that stuns enemies.

The Guardian is a support character with crowd-control abilities. He can launch enemies into the air and even take flight himself, slamming down on opponents to scatter them.

The Duchess will appeal to Bloodborne fans — she is extremely agile. Her special skill lets her repeat the damage an enemy took a few seconds earlier. Additionally, she can make herself and her allies invisible.

Finally, the Recluse is Nightreign’s mage. She restores magic when casting spells in a specific elemental sequence. Her ultimate ability is crucial in tough battles: she curses enemies so that attacking them heals her allies.

Interestingly, players can freely choose the same Nightfarers. This means a team of three Duchesses is entirely possible. However, diversifying roles is recommended since each class’s unique abilities complement one another.

Compared to the original Elden Ring, leveling up in Nightreign is a straightforward process. Collected enough runes? One button press at a Site of Grace makes your character stronger — no need to manually upgrade each stat. There’s also no time for that.

As for random loot, all weapons provide powerful passive bonuses, even when simply stored in the inventory. This means building a character revolves around selecting the best six items to carry. You might prefer daggers, but picking up a spear that boosts daggers' strength might be worth it.

When players defeat bosses, their characters gain random modifiers. Some simply boost attack power, while others grant unique effects. For example, one modifier lets you unleash a lightning strike every time you roll. This reward system clearly takes inspiration from roguelikes.

Nightreign is an incredibly fast-paced game. Everything happens in a flash — from the aforementioned level-ups to traversing the map. Characters run faster than in Elden Ring, take no fall damage from great heights, and can easily climb obstacles. Yes, FromSoftware has added parkour.

Sites of Grace activate automatically when any party member approaches them. After that, each player can use the Site of Grace, preventing the risk of the party splitting up and losing track of each other.

And of course, the combat is packed with adrenaline. As in the latest FromSoftware titles, bosses in Nightreign are aggressive and difficult, but now they often fight in pairs.

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Elden Ring: Nightreign promises to be one of FromSoftware’s most unusual games. And this kind of session-based co-op adventure has the potential to become the company’s most financially successful project yet.

How engaging Nightreign is in practice — some of you will find out very soon. The first beta test starts today. However, it’s a semi-closed test — invitation-only. If you weren’t selected, don’t worry, because the full release is scheduled for May 30 this year.

What do you think about the game? Are you excited to try it? Share your thoughts in the comments!