FromSoftware's latest genre-blending adventure, Elden Ring Nightreign, has just launched and is already creating big waves. Reports are that around two million players got down to it on the very first day. On Steam, the game registered a peak online player count of 313,000, and with the weekend fast approaching, higher numbers from Steam may not be a far wish.
The average person may say, "Well, of course." It is, after all, a spin-off of a title that has sold over 30 million copies and even has a movie planned. A huge built-in audience. But on the flip side, Nightreign is definitely not business as usual for FromSoftware. It is an experiment, a rethinking; there was no guarantee that it would find its way into the hearts of all audiences in the same way. The early critic scores were a little more divided than what we expect from this legendary Japanese studio.
This obviously gives Elden Ring Nightreign a whole different identity. One could say it should definitely qualify as one of FromSoftware's most unique creations yet. They took their slow, methodical Souls gameplay and turned it into something fast-paced, cooperative, and enjoyed with a bit of roguelike flavoring in it. No small feat, yet again it appears like the masters have pulled it off, again reaffirming their innovation toward the very things that make their games feel so good.
Many players are now exploring how far they can push into the Nightreign. With the initial numbers suggesting many have had a chance, it does sound like a rich and rewarding, albeit challenging at first, experience.
