Elden Ring Nightreign, the highly anticipated standalone co-operative spin-off from FromSoftware, is set to launch on May 30, 2025, priced at $40. This exciting new title will be available across multiple platforms, including PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam, as confirmed by publisher Bandai Namco.
Ahead of its release, gamers can look forward to participating in the Elden Ring Nightreign network test, which will be exclusively available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S. The network test is scheduled to commence on February 14 and conclude on February 17, 2025. However, it will not be accessible throughout the entire duration but rather during specific time slots. These include five three-hour sessions designed to stress-test the online system's functionality and performance.
Elden Ring Nightreign Network Test Session Timings:
-------------------------------------------------------- February 14: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ET
- February 14: 7pm-10pm PT / 10pm-1am ET
- February 15: 11am-2pm PT / 2pm-5pm ET
- February 16: 3am-6am PT / 6am-9am ET
- February 16: 7pm-10pm PT / 10pm-1am ET
Bandai Namco describes the network test as a "preliminary verification test" where selected testers will play a segment of the game before its official launch. This large-scale test aims to ensure the online system's robustness and enhance the overall gaming experience.
Elden Ring Nightreign is set in a parallel universe to the 2022 Elden Ring and introduces cooperative gameplay, allowing three players to team up as Nightfarers. They will battle against new threats, navigate an ever-changing map, and face increasingly challenging bosses, culminating in a confrontation with the Nightlord. The network test features a unique three-day-and-night cycle that players must survive.
Here's the official description:
The all-new adventure in Elden Ring Nightreign begins at the Roundtable Hold, set in a universe parallel to the events of Elden Ring. Players must choose from eight unique characters, each with their own abilities and powerful Ultimates. Their journeys take them to Limveld, an ever-changing environment, where they will have to make split-second decisions when it comes to combat and exploration in the face of a night cycle that shrinks the map with the coming Night’s Tide.
At the end of each night, players will face a powerful boss and, if victorious, awaken to bigger challenges. Each session will culminate in the third night when they must face off against the chosen Nightlord. Individuals can fight the night alone, but strength will come in numbers. Nightfarers must learn to cooperate to take down these challenges, combining their unique abilities together for an unparalleled experience. All is not lost for those who fall in defeat. Unsuccessful runs will grant players relics to allow them to customize and upgrade their characters tailored to their personal play styles.
Elden Ring Nightreign is unlike any experience created before by FromSoftware, Inc. In this condensed action RPG, players will never experience the same journey twice as enemies, rewards, and Limveld itself are ever-shifting and evolving with each new session. Defeating greater enemies and venturing into the more dangerous parts of the map will uncover more powerful weapons and greater Rune rewards. Finding Sites of Grace gives each hero a chance to level up and gain crucial power. With each session-based adventure being akin to playing through an open-air dungeon, every journey provides an opportunity to grow lasting stat bonuses. Successful runs against the night bring players ever closer to defeating the Nightlord and unraveling the story behind each Nightfarer in this parallel world.
Last year, IGN had the privilege of visiting FromSoftware and getting hands-on experience with an early build of Elden Ring Nightreign. Our impressions were overwhelmingly positive, noting that the game "takes the cautious dungeon crawls of Elden Ring and turbocharges them into propulsive, slash ‘n’ dash speedruns."
For more insights, don't miss IGN's interview with game director Junya Ishizaki about Elden Ring Nightreign.
