Without powers of precognition, it would have been nearly impossible to predict Elden Ring Nightreign, a PvE, procedurally generated, co-op roguelike set in the world of Elden Ring. Though the cost of admission is expected to be about the same as Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring Nightreign will be a completely standalone product, disconnected from the base game both literally (e.g. in terms of save data) and narratively.
Elden Ring Nightreign‘s director, Junya Ishizaki, has already gone on record about the forthcoming title, though with the coy aloofness that one should expect from FromSoftware at this point. Ishizaki told IGN that Nightreign will take place in a world that is “completely separate and parallel to the world of Elden Ring’s,” with the only major factor in common being The Shattering, the event that set the drama of the original game in motion. In other words, Nightreign shares virtually nothing with the lore of Elden Ring post-shattering, so the events of the game itself will have no impact on the story. But there’s plenty that happened pre-Shattering which could, theoretically, make its way into Nightreign‘s story.
Related
Elden Ring: Nightreign – Where is the Erdtree?
Elden Ring: Nightreign features elements from other FromSoft games, such as iconic Dark Souls 3 bosses, which begs the question: Where is the Erdtree?
Elden Ring Nightreign: The Nox, Lord of Night, and Possible Dimension-Hopping Antics
Elden Ring Nightreign Is Ostensibly Linked to The Nox
The Nox are a community that inhabited The Lands Between before the rise of the Golden Order. Worshipers of the night and practitioners of strange alchemical experiments, their way of life was eventually deemed sacrilegious by the Golden Order, and the Nox were banished underground. They live in three enigmatic cities that Elden Ring players are no doubt familiar with:
- Nokron
- Noskella
- The Nameless Eternal City
Deep underground, with nothing more than a facsimile of the night sky to remind them of their sacred ways, the Nox are left to await The Age of Stars, which they believe will be heralded by the Lord of Night, who will guide them into prosperity. In essence, this Lord of Night is the Nox’s savior figure.
It doesn’t take too much reaching to connect the Lord of Night to the Night Lord, the presumed antagonist of Elden Ring Nightreign. The Night Tide, which encroaches on Nightreign‘s map over time, may be a result of the Night Lord’s influence over this unfamiliar land, indicating that this messianic figure may not be quite as benevolent as the Nox make them out to be. Since Nightreign is set in some sort of alternate reality, perhaps its timeline is one where the Night Lord (or someone claiming to be the Night Lord), rose to prominence. This possibility carries a number of implications, not the least of which being the supposed newfound status of the Nox under this “Night Reign.”
The Night Lord’s title and generally enigmatic aura may remind some of the Night King from
Game of Thrones
and
A Song of Ice and Fire
. While there may be some inspiration taken from these works, Ishizaki has confirmed that Martin is not involved with
Nightreign
.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s Parallel Universe Premise Opens a Can of Worms
The aforementioned lore elements are understandable and tantalizing enough, but FromSoftware has decided to muddy the waters a bit by introducing once-forgotten Dark Souls characters to Nightreign. Specifically, the Centipede Demon and Nameless King appear in the game’s reveal trailer, alongside what appear to be The Firekeeper and Duke’s Dear Frejia from Dark Souls 3 and Dark Souls 2, respectively.
This could just be a case of asset recycling, which is something that FromSoftware has been known to do, though this awaits confirmation. If the inclusion of these elements is more than that, however, it could mean an official narrative linking of Elden Ring and Dark Souls, which would considerably complicate the lore of both franchises.
ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.
Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.
Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.
While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.
Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!
- Released
- 2025-00-00
- Multiplayer
- Online Co-Op
- Steam Deck Compatibility
- Unknown
- Number of Players
- 1-3