The next FromSoftware title is approaching in the form of Elden Ring Nightreign, and as usual, players have been able to see it early through its closed network test. Elden Ring Nightreign is a smaller, more experimental game that repurposes Elden Ring’s Soulslike gameplay and assets inside a multiplayer-focused survival roguelike, dramatically transforming the experience in spite of the abundant recycled content. Not only are many of Elden Ring’s weapons, spells, and enemies being shuffled around, but so are legacy foes from the Dark Souls trilogy, the full extent of which has yet to be revealed.
Elden Ring Nightreign may not appeal to everyone in Elden Ring’s massive install base, but its faster, more arcade-like gameplay should net the game its own fanbase. Those fans should be well served by the game’s replayable nature, but FromSoftware has prepared for when that well eventually runs dry. By Q4 2025, Elden Ring Nightreign’s eight playable Nightfarers and assorted bosses will be joined by paid DLC that includes more of each, though further details are unknown. This is great news, but it comes with some unspoken expectations that are bound to weigh heavily on Elden Ring Nightreign and its DLC.
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One Fan-Requested Elden Ring Nightreign Change Could Cut Against the Grain
Feedback on Elden Ring Nightreign has already begun pouring in, though one simple-sounding request may prove too great for the game to handle.
The History of FromSoftware DLC Sets A High Bar For Nightreign
Elden Ring Nightreign’s DLC Has To Excel Despite Its Scope
FromSoftware DLC has developed a reputation for greatness, and it’s not hard to see why. Starting with Artorias of the Abyss for Dark Souls 1, every expansion managed to add not only hours of extra content, but meaningful experiences and boss fights that quickly became part of their base game’s reputation. Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice and Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon have only seen small content updates, but they were made up for by Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, an Elden Ring add-on that’s practically a Souls game all by itself.
Elden Ring Nightreign is up next, though it’s a good idea to rein in DLC expectations in advance. Nightreign’s DLC is bundled with its Deluxe Edition, seemingly costs half as much as the already-$40 USD game, and is planned to launch within a year, pointing towards something much smaller than Shadow of the Erdtree. Its advertised content also only consists of more Nightfarers and bosses, which could mean anything from new maps associated with additional Nightlord bosses, or something humbler like a Binding of Isaac expansion where the new content is mixed in with the old.
Elden Ring Nightreign And Its DLC Invite Elden Ring Comparisons
Still, having a smaller scope does not absolve Elden Ring Nightreign‘s DLC of fan expectations, especially a year after Shadow of the Erdtree was released. More complex player characters and boss fights will be the baseline that Nightreign‘s expansion needs to clear, and the more it includes, the better. Character cosmetics to accompany the unseen ones in the base game would be a start, and more items, relics, and perhaps even passive buffs would all be appreciated. Entire new Nightlords with associated maps are the ideal, and that’s not even getting into the questlines possible with Nightreign‘s new content.
How Elden Ring Nightreign’s Post-Launch Plans Can Succeed
To succeed, Elden Ring Nightreign‘s paid expansion needs to feel like the game’s Shadow of the Erdtree, and that’s a daunting task. Shadow of the Erdtree represents the current peak of FromSoftware’s Souls boss design and complexity, and Nightreign‘s DLC will be expected to carry on those traits. It’s unknown how much of Shadow of the Erdtree will be in Nightreign beyond one of SotE‘s Golden Hippopotamus field bosses, but the Nightreign DLC is the perfect place to bring more of its content in, alongside even more Dark Souls guests for the greatest impact. Elden Ring Nightreign and its DLC have uphill battles to fight against their predecessors, but their success could be just as sweet.
Action RPG
Soulslike
Roguelite
