Without powers of precognition, it would have been nearly impossible to predictElden Ring Nightreign, a PvE, procedurally generated, co-op roguelike set in the world ofElden Ring. Though the cost of admission is expected to be about the same asShadow of the Erdtree,Elden Ring Nightreignwill be a completely standalone product, disconnected from the base game both literally (e.g. in terms of save data) and narratively.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s director, Junya Ishizaki, has already gone on record about the forthcoming title, though with the coy aloofness that one should expect from FromSoftware at this point.Ishizaki told IGN thatNightreignwill take place in a worldthat is “completely separate and parallel to the world ofElden Ring’s,” with the only major factor in common being The Shattering,the event that set the drama of the original game in motion. In other words,Nightreignshares virtually nothing with the lore ofElden Ringpost-shattering, so the events of the game itself will have no impact on the story. But there’s plenty that happened pre-Shattering which could, theoretically, make its way intoNightreign’s story.
Elden Ring Nightreign: The Nox, Lord of Night, and Possible Dimension-Hopping Antics
Elden Ring Nightreign Is Ostensibly Linked to The Nox
The Nox are a community that inhabited The Lands Betweenbefore the rise of the Golden Order. Worshipers of the night and practitioners of strange alchemical experiments, their way of life was eventually deemed sacrilegious by the Golden Order, and the Nox were banished underground. They live in three enigmatic cities thatElden Ringplayers are no doubt familiar with:
Deep underground, with nothing more than a facsimile of the night sky to remind them of their sacred ways,the Nox are left to await The Age of Stars, which they believe will be heralded by the Lord of Night, who will guide them into prosperity. In essence, this Lord of Night is the Nox’s savior figure.
It doesn’t take too much reaching to connect the Lord of Night to theNight Lord, the presumed antagonist ofElden Ring Nightreign. The Night Tide, which encroaches onNightreign’s map over time, may be a result of the Night Lord’s influence over this unfamiliar land, indicating that this messianic figure may not be quite as benevolent as the Nox make them out to be. SinceNightreignis set in some sort of alternate reality, perhaps its timeline is one where the Night Lord (or someone claiming to be the Night Lord), rose to prominence. This possibility carries a number of implications, not the least of which being the supposed newfound status of the Nox under this “Night Reign.”
The Night Lord’s title and generally enigmatic aura may remind some of the Night King fromGame of ThronesandA Song of Ice and Fire. While there may be some inspiration taken from these works, Ishizaki has confirmed that Martin is not involved withNightreign.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s Parallel Universe Premise Opens a Can of Worms
The aforementioned lore elements are understandable and tantalizing enough, but FromSoftware has decided to muddy the waters a bit by introducingonce-forgottenDark SoulscharacterstoNightreign. Specifically, the Centipede Demon and Nameless King appear in the game’s reveal trailer, alongside what appear to be The Firekeeper and Duke’s Dear Frejia fromDark Souls 3andDark Souls 2, respectively.
This could just be a case of asset recycling, which is something that FromSoftware has been known to do, though this awaits confirmation. If the inclusion of these elements is more than that, however, it could mean an officialnarrative linking ofElden RingandDark Souls, which would considerably complicate the lore of both franchises.
Elden Ring Nightreign
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“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!”
