Elden Ring Nightreign Release Date Window, Multiplayer, Classes, And Everything We Know

Your journey is at an end, Tarnished. After braving the Lands Between and ascending from the Realm of Shadow, it’s time for you to rest. Oh, wait, what’s that? There’s another Elden Ring game? Why? Yes, there certainly is. It’s none other than Elden Ring Nightreign, a cooperative multiplayer roguelike title where you have to face countless challenges. It looks like your rest can wait, and you need to rise once more.

First announced during The Game Awards 2024, this standalone Souls spin-off developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco takes you to Limveld, a variant of Limgrave from Elden Ring. There, you and your friends get to do battle against fresh and familiar foes. Now, you’re probably wondering about Elden Ring Nightreign’s release date, the playable classes, the gameplay mechanics, and its relation to the narrative arc and background lore. Wonder no more, since we’ve got you covered. Here’s everything we know so far about Elden Ring Nightreign.

When is Elden Ring Nightreign’s release date?

Elden Ring Nightreign is expected to release some time in 2025. There’s no definite date yet, but we’ll keep you posted.

Who is directing Elden Ring Nightreign?

Elden Ring Nightreign is a project helmed by Junya Ishizaki, a From Software veteran who has worked on previous Souls titles. Ishizaki initially worked on the first Dark Souls game as a planner for the map and events, before becoming one of Bloodborne’s game designers. He was also one of the lead game designers on Dark Souls 3, as well as the battle director for Elden Ring and the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.

We also know that FromSoftware president Hidetaka Miyazaki was involved during Elden Ring Nightreign’s early conceptualization stages. However, he handed the reins over (pun intended) to Ishizaki.

Elden Ring Nightreign platforms, pre-orders, and pricing

Elden Ring Nightreign will be available on PC via Steam, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X|S. Currently, it’s not possible to preorder the game. However, you can wishlist via each platform’s store page:

PC (Steam)
Sony PlayStation
Microsoft Xbox – There’s no store page at this time.

While the game’s price has not been announced yet, we know that this is a spin-off akin to an expansion. Ishizaki has also noted that Nightreign is neither priced as a full release nor structured as a live-service game. As such, it might be priced within the same range as Shadow of the Erdtree (around $40).

Does Elden Ring Nightreign have cross-play?

Since Elden Ring is a multiplayer co-op game, having a huge pool of fellow Tarnished to team up with sounds like an awesome idea. Sadly, Elden Ring Nightreign will not have cross-play across different system families. This means PC players won’t be able to buddy up with those on PlayStation or Xbox.

However, Elden Ring Nightreign does offer cross-generation support within the same family of systems:

PlayStation 4 and PlayStation 5 gamers can play together.
Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S gamers can play together.
PC players can only play with other PC players.

Network Test: Can you play Elden Ring Nightreign early?

Yes, it’s possible to play Elden Ring Nightreign early as part of the Network Test. According to Bandai Namco’s website, registration begins on January 10, 2025. Interested players can sign up around this time, and those who are lucky enough to be selected will be able to participate in the Network Test come February 2025.

Note that the Network Test is only available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S.

The Dark Souls universe: Elden Ring Nightreign’s story, setting, and characters

As a standalone spin-off, Elden Ring Nightreign has more leeway when it comes to the story. According to game director Junya Ishizaki, Nightreign involves a sinister entity known as the Nightlord, which players need to defeat. This adventure leads warriors to Limveld, where they do battle against an assortment of foes, including enemies from previously released Souls titles.

From trailers and images, eagle-eyed players have spotted the Nameless King–one of the toughest bosses from Dark Souls 3–as well as the Fire Keeper. Time will tell if veterans will eventually get to face vicious opponents, such as Ornstein and Smough or Artorias. We’re keeping our fingers crossed that Bloodborne bosses also make an appearance.

What are the available classes in Elden Ring Nightreign?

Based on interviews with Famitsu, IGN, and PCGamer, the developers have confirmed that Elden Ring Nightreign will have eight playable classes. These include the following:

Guardian: A tanky frontliner that has a shield for defense.
Duchess: An acrobatic fighter that has a spry sidestep dodge.
Recluse: A spellcaster that uses magical abilities.
Wylder: A combatant who can get into the thick of the fray.

Elden Ring Nightreign’s multiplayer co-op and roguelike mechanics

Since Elden Ring Nightreign is a multiplayer co-op roguelike title, there are numerous mechanics and features to consider. Here are some of the most important facets:

Up to three players can team up for each run. You can choose to play solo or with a party of three (trio); you cannot start a run with only two players (duo).
You select a specific major boss at the beginning of each run or match. There are eight types of major bosses to choose from.
Each run consists of a three-day cycle:
- During the first two days, you can explore the region, fight various enemies, level up, and collect gear/loot. You also have to defeat a miniboss or sub-boss.
- On the third day, you have to battle the major boss that you selected beforehand.
Limveld is an altered version of Limgrave, and the loot that you obtain during your runs is completely randomized.
At the end of a match, you get to keep a currency that can be used to purchase character skins, gestures, and relics.
Relics, in a way, offer permanent boosts for your chosen class, akin to a roguelike game where you continue to improve the more you play.

This is everything we know about Elden Ring Nightreign so far. We’ll keep you posted as we learn of further developments. For now, you can visit our Elden Ring and Shadow of the Erdtree guides hub as you journey in the Lands Between and the Lands of Shadow.