We're not quite done with Elden Ring just yet! One of the big surprises to come out of The Game Awards 2024 was the reveal of Elden Ring: Nightreign.
By now, you're probably familiar with Elden Ring. Released in 2022, it's an action role-playing game from FromSoftware that many consider to be the studio's best work. Elden Ring is basically a massive version of Dark Souls, allowing players to freely explore an open world and the dangers that inhabit it.
The game was directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki with worldbuilding provided by fantasy writer George R.R. Martin. Set in the Lands Between, players create a character and embark on a quest to repair the Elden Ring and become the new Elden Lord.
Elden Ring was a massive hit upon release, receiving glowing reviews and selling millions of copies. It won several Game of the Year awards and is viewed by many as one of the greatest games of all time.
Earlier this year, FromSoftware released the long-awaited expansion Shadow of the Erdtree, but no one was really sure what would be next for the franchise. We now know, and I don't think anyone saw this coming.
Elden Ring: Nightreign is a cooperative survival action game. The initial announcement during the Game Awards didn't come with many details; however, the official trailer provided a bit more context for the game.
"This is an action game where you challenge overwhelming situations with other players," the description reads. "While inheriting some of the elements such as enemies and weapons from the action RPG "ELDEN RING", this game has been reconstructed with a completely different game design, and players control characters with different personalities to challenge new threats."
While Elden Ring does offer co-op gameplay, it's not technically considered a cooperative game. It's more of a feature that allows you to summon people into your game world or be summoned into others.
Elden Ring: Nightreign, meanwhile, is a legitimate cooperative game, developed with the idea that you'll be playing with others. It's unclear how this will translate into difficulty, something that FromSoftware and Elden Ring are known for.
The trailer definitely featured some intimidating boss encounters, but it made it seem like more of an action-oriented game and less about punishingly difficult gameplay.
Elden Ring: Nightreign is coming in 2025 to PlayStation, Xbox, and PC.