FromSoftware's "ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN" Release Date Set for May 30! Network Test to Be Conducted from February 14

The release date for "ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN," a spin-off title presenting a new challenge, has been set for Friday, May 30, 2025!
A network test will be held starting Friday, February 14, 2025!

"ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN" Release Date Set for May 30!

"ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN" is a cooperative survival action game with a refreshed game design based on the world of "ELDEN RING."
The release date for this title has been set for Friday, May 30, 2025, and a network test will be conducted from Friday, February 14, to Monday, February 17, 2025, for players who applied and were selected as testers.

A Game That Condenses the Appeal of RPGs into a Single Session

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"ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN" aims to condense the fun of RPGs, such as character progression, item collection through exploration, and battles against formidable foes, into a single session. The RPG experience unfolds rapidly without diminishing the appeal of "ELDEN RING."
Players descend upon the Limveld and explore the vast field until night falls.
Players are free to choose whether to act together as a party of three or to act alone, exploring freely, opening treasure chests in search of weapons, or challenging powerful bosses to obtain runes necessary for leveling up.

Base and Item Locations Change Randomly!

There can also be significant changes, such as the appearance of volcanoes and poison swamps.
Events such as enemies appearing in large numbers or meteorites falling can also occur.

Taking Damage When Exposed to Rain

As night approaches, heavy rain that causes damage falls, and the rain intensifies as time passes.
The players' range of action also narrows, making it necessary to strengthen their characters within a limited time.

Bosses appear at night, and defeating a boss ends the day.
On the second day, players challenge themselves to get stronger through exploration and defeat the night boss in the same way, and clearing the session means defeating the final boss that appears on the third day!

Eight Playable Characters and Enhanced Actions

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In this game, players choose from eight characters with predetermined stats.
Each character can use weapons with Arts of War, similar to "ELDEN RING," and also has new abilities, skills, and arts, allowing for even more diverse fighting styles!

The added actions are as follows:

• Moving through the air by gripping a bird
• Climbing walls with successive jumps
• Transitioning to sprint by pressing down L3

The basic actions are based on "ELDEN RING," but actions such as moving through the air by gripping a bird and climbing walls with successive jumps have been added.
Furthermore, no matter how high you jump from, you will not take fall damage or die, allowing you to enjoy a fresh feel that is similar to the traditional "ELDEN RING" yet different.

In addition to the normal dash, pressing L3 allows you to transition to "Sprint" at the same speed as the Spectral Steed Torrent, enabling fast movement!

Weapons with Arts of War and Passive Effects

Each weapon has Arts of War and passive effects, and all passive effects of weapons that are simply equipped, not just those actively held, are also activated.
You can equip three weapons in each hand, and you can generally carry up to four items.

Leveling Up Improves Fixed Character Stats!

Leveling up no longer uses a stat allocation system, eliminating the need to consider character builds, which shortens the time spent leveling up!

Enhancement Items Called "Relics"

Enhancement items called "Relics" are obtained at the end of a session.
Similar to the Blood Gems system in "Bloodborne," equipping a Relic that matches the color of the character's slot enhances them with the Relic's effects.

Leveled-up stats and acquired weapons/items are only for that session, but Relics can permanently enhance characters regardless of the session.

Can You Save Your Allies by Attacking Them!? A Unique System

If your HP runs out in combat and you become critically injured, allies can save you by attacking.
You can also lock on, allowing you to rescue from a safe distance with ranged attacks.

Rescuing is complete when the critically injured player's gauge is depleted, but repeated critical injuries will accumulate the gauge, making it harder to rescue until you touch a Site of Grace, so be careful.

Penalty for Dying Upon Respawn

If a certain amount of time passes while in a critically injured state, you will die, drop any runes you were carrying, and receive a penalty of losing one level upon respawn.
By retrieving your dropped runes after respawning, you can gain enough runes to level up by one, recovering the penalty received.

However, during night boss battles, even if you remain critically injured for a period of time, you will not die, but if all three players fall, it will result in a defeat.
If even one of the three remains, there is a chance for a comeback.

Q&A from Media Playtest Session

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The quotes are translated from Japanese interviews

Will this title be an ongoing game with a seasonal system?

We are not considering it an ongoing or live-service game.
Our goal is to create a game that players can enjoy for 15-20 hours, requiring multiple attempts to clear and encouraging challenges with different characters.

When you defeat the final boss, we believe you'll feel satisfied, having enjoyed a complete game.

Even after defeating the final boss, you'll obtain many relics, allowing for repeated play in a hack-and-slash fashion.

Just like how some players still enjoy "Bloodborne's" Chalice Dungeons, we want players to enjoy this game repeatedly.

Of course, there will be updates for balance adjustments, similar to "ELDEN RING," and we are considering adding some modes.
Also, while we don't plan for live services or monetization within them, we are considering downloadable content and hope to release new characters and bosses within the fiscal year.

How long does one session take?

It varies slightly depending on the night boss battle, but it's about 35-40 minutes.
[...]
We also tried it for 15-20 minutes up to the second day, but it didn't work out well as the sense of progression was diminished.

By the way, you cannot save the game state within a session, but if you get disconnected due to a network error, for example, you can rejoin that session.

Are there any elements in the game that tell the world lore or story of this title?

This title is designed for repeated multiplayer game sessions, and considering that it could interfere with the dense world of "ELDEN RING," we don't delve too much into the story elements of this game.
Of course, the background of this world can be understood through conversations with characters at the Roundtable Hold, and there are also elements to progress each character's small scenarios.

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In addition to 3-player multiplayer, is single-player also possible?

Yes, it is.
While it was originally developed with a 3-player multiplayer game design, we've also included single-player for those who want to play alone or sometimes prefer to play by themselves.

Enemy stats are lower in single-player than in 3-player multiplayer, but for example, a three-headed boss that splits into three during battle will still split in single-player, so even with adjusted stats, it will still be a tough fight.

Will there be invasions by other players?

There are no PvP elements. However, depending on the location, there will be situations where you fight enemy NPCs that look like player characters.

Previously, matchmaking was based on player level range, but will matchmaking in this game be random?

It's completely random.
However, matchmaking may be divided based on factors like boss unlock status.

Please tell us about cross-play.

Cross-play between platforms is not supported.
For PlayStation, multiplayer will be available on PS5 during the network test, and on PS5 and PS4 for the full release.

The notable rules unique to this title are as follows:

Can all players share items found?

Contents of treasure chests and items dropped by destroying objects are first-come, first-served, but special rewards obtained by defeating bosses are given to each character.
Runes are shared across the entire party.

Is there a way to increase the number of Flasks of Crimson Tears for HP recovery?

You can increase the number of uses at a church.

Please tell us how to recover FP, which is necessary for using Arts of War and sorceries.

FP can be recovered by touching a Site of Grace or by using items, but FP recovery in this game is quite limited, so Arts of War, sorceries, and incantations are positioned to be used when it really counts.
However, characters like the "Hermit" who use a lot of sorcery have abilities that restore FP.

Do bow arrows and crossbow bolts need to be replenished?

Arrows and bolts can be used infinitely.

Are sorceries and incantations tied to the staves and Sacred Seals obtained?

Yes.
Any character can use sorceries and incantations if they acquire and equip a staff or Sacred Seal.

Is there no concept of equipment load in this game?

There is no concept of equipment load.
Even a character who looks lightweight can swing a greatsword.
However, weapons have a rarity, and there is an element where a weapon's full performance cannot be achieved if the character has not reached the level corresponding to its rarity.

Are each character's starting weapons and appearance fixed?

Starting weapons are fixed.
For appearance, each character has special skins available, which can be added through progression or by purchasing with in-game currency.

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In "ELDEN RING," enemies become stronger in New Game+ playthroughs, but does this game have that element?

There is no element where enemy strength changes based on player level or similar.
By the way, all eight bosses will be unlocked in stages, but rather than getting progressively stronger in the order they're unlocked, please assume all bosses are extremely strong (laughs).

How does the difficulty of this game compare to the "DARK SOULS" series and "ELDEN RING"?

It's fundamentally designed to be challenging and require player learning.
If you can develop an ideal build within a session or acquire powerful weapons through field exploration, you'll be strong, but doing so will also require experience and learning.

In the "DARK SOULS" series and "ELDEN RING," even players who weren't good at action games could clear them by leveling up. Since leveling up in this game is limited to within a session, how do you think players who are not good at action games should cope?

As a multiplayer title, I believe you can learn by observing the movements and enhancement methods of skilled players you team up with.
Also, the effects of the relics you acquire will significantly change your combat approach. Furthermore, if you change characters, your fighting style will completely change. In "ELDEN RING," it's not easy to change a developed build, but in this game, a character you re-select might just feel right.
We have provided many options, so we encourage you to try various things.