One of thebiggest surprise revealsat The Game Awards is FromSoftware’s Elden Ring: Nightreign. It was surprising not just because it’s a new Elden Ring game, but also because it’s focused on multiplayer.
If you have a friend who’s willing to play the game with you, you’ll need one more. FromSoftware has confirmed that Elden Ring: Nightreign can be played either solo or with two friends forming a trio, but not as a duo.
Elden Ring: Nightreign Locks Multiplayer Experience To Trios
The confirmation that Elden Ring: Nightreign is not playable as a duo comes from game director Junya Ishizaki. In aninterview(viaVGC), Ishizaki states the game was designed to be played as a three-person team, and that can be played “either one-player or three-player.”
If you’re wondering why this decision was made, Ishizaki says it was more of a game-balancing decision rather than one based on game design, stating, “So it came as development progressed. You know, we found that while we wanted each player to have that sense of accomplishment, that sense of rewarding co-op gameplay, this was like a sweet spot with three players in order for it not to feel too overwhelming or too busy. It allowed each player to go off on their own potentially and cover a bit of the map but also to you know that final experience coming together, that was three players felt like the sweet spot eventually.”
While Elden Ring: Nightreign might not launch with support for just two players, that doesn’t mean FromSoftware can’t implement that change via a title update. If enough players ask for it, FromSoftware might change their minds.
Perhaps FromSoftware can find a way for that one player to be controlled by a bot? While not ideal, that’s better than just locking two players from experiencing the game as a duo.
Aside from that snag, players might see the confirmation that Nightreignwon’t feature cross-play as an issue. That’s another feature that could be slotted in with a title update, as we’ve seen that happen with loads of games already.
Thankfully, FromSoftware wants to deliver a feature-complete game out of the box, as the studiodoesn’t see Nightreign as a live service game.
Elden Ring: Nightreign has no release date yet, but it’s set to be released on the PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC.
Elden Ring Nightreign Brings Monster Hunter-Style Gameplay To The Lands Between
FromSoftware’s Elden Ring: Nightreign is bringing the franchise back with co-op multiplayer battles.
Elden Ring Nightreign
WHERE TO PLAY
