Summary
Elden Ring Nightreignwon’t allow players to leave messages for one another, a senior FromSoftware official has confirmed. The developer’s decision to ditch its signature feature inElden Ring Nightreignis officially being characterized as a purely practical move.
The ability to combine pre-approved words into asynchronous messages for other players has long been synonymous withFromSoftware’s games. Regardless of whether it’s used to help others, lie about a “hidden path ahead,” or relay situational jokes, this sytem has historically been super successful at generating user engagement, delivering a consistent influx of player messages that some fans would consider an integral part of the modern Soulsborne experience.
Be that as it may, the popular feature won’t be returning inElden Ring Nightreign. That’s according to game director Junya Ishizaki, who said as much in a January 3 interview withIGN Japan. Elaborating on this omission, Ishizaki explained that the game’s multiplayer-first design would have been a poor fit for an asynchronous messaging system, claiming thatElden Ring Nightreignplayerssimply won’t have enough time to mess around with written notes.
Nightreign Isn’t Ditching All of Elden Ring’s Asynchronous Features
While a typicalElden Ringgameplay session can easily go on for hours, FromSoftware anticipatesNightreignwill be played in noticeably shorter intervals of roughly 40 minutes a piece. Since this will inevitably make the overall experience much more intense, the developer decided to ditch the in-game messaging system in a bid to deliver a more streamlined and better-paced experience.
That’s not to say that the game will be doing away with all of its predecessor’s asynchronous functionality. On the contrary, some classic community features have already been confirmed to be coming back. E.g. thebloodstain mechanic will return inElden Ring Nightreignstronger than ever, allowing players to not only see how their peers died but even loot their ghosts.
FromSoft Wants Elden Ring Nightreign To Be ‘Compressed’
Limiting player-to-player communications by doing away with a dedicated messaging system seemingly dovetails with FromSoftware’s overall vision for the game, which is geared toward creating a more consistently intense and multiplayer-focused experience compared to the first entry in the series. Thedecision to haveElden Ring Nightreignadopt a three-day structurealso stems from this ambition. Speaking to IGN Japan, Ishizaki said FromSoftware seeks to deliver “a compressed RPG” with a lot of variety and little to no downtime.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s TGA 2024 reveal trailer confirmed that the game is targeting a 2025 launch. However, FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have yet to commit to a more concrete release window.
Elden Ring Nightreign
WHERE TO PLAY
“ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!”
