Multiplayer action-RPG enthusiasts have a lot to look forward to in 2025, especially thanks to one early release and one recent announcement. Capcom’sMonster Hunter Wildswill be out by the end of February, and promises to let bands of hunters roam around larger, more interconnected maps than theMonster Hunterseries has ever used before. Also with a beta in February isElden Ring Nightreign, a co-op roguelike spin-off of FromSoftware’s wildly successful Elden Ring. BothMonster Hunter WildsandElden Ring Nightreignare changing things up for their respective franchises, and both promise to be worth the wait.
There are a lot of big features that could get someone excited aboutMonster Hunter Wilds, but for veterans, it doesn’t need to be any more than the next evolution ofMonster Hunter. Comparatively, someElden Ringfans are still warming up to the run-basedNightreign, which is so openly strange that it’sbrought inDark Soulsbosses for extra flavor. It’s even more different from its Soulslike predecessors thanMH Wildsis fromMH WorldandRise, which is saying something. Uncertain hope trails behind both titles, but unfortunately, it already looks likeWilds' hasNightreignsoundly beaten in one area.
MH Wilds Has More Flexible Multiplayer Than Elden Ring Nightreign
Again, bothMonster Hunter WildsandElden Ring Nightreignhave a heavy emphasis on their multiplayer, butWildsis putting in the work to ensure it stands out.Crossplay acrossWilds' simultaneous console and PC launchesis just the first of its refinements compared toWorldandRise, but it’s definitely a big one. 100-player lobbies were also added, even if only 16 hunters can be seen at once, and players can freely join any hunts in progress that have room. Combined with more allowances for players to progress through their story and quest completion together,Monster Hunter Wildssounds like the best multiplayerMHexperience yet.
The same should be true forElden Ring Nightreign, but evidence is mounting that it doesn’t accommodate multiplayer any more than past FromSoftware games. Queuing up for runs alongside random players or friends via the typical code system is supported, but that’s where the problems start. If those codes haven’t given it away,Nightreign’s multiplayer is much more archaicthan equivalents in other modern run-based games. How well the netcode works remains to be seen, but crossplay has been explicitly de-confirmed. Players can only play solo or in a group of three with no drop-in and an unknown disconnect policy, makingElden Ring Nightreigna remarkably inflexible experience.
Players Have More Freedom In Monster Hunter Wilds Than Nightreign
Nightreigndeserves some credit, as it seemingly allows players to explore its condensed world without the boundaries and post-boss disconnects of regularElden Ring, but it’s hard to cover up how many options this spin-off has stripped away. Meanwhile,Monster Hunter Wildsis fine with one to four playersdoing whatever they want in its open world. Convenience has been the goal of post-WorldMonster Hunter, andWildsis making sure that players will have minimal obstacles while hunting down monsters. Offline play is even bolstered with NPC helpers responding to SOS Flares, doubly ensuring that single-player is as viable as anything else.
Nightreign Has Options, But They’re The Bare Minimum
If nothing else,Elden Ring Nightreigndoes support offline solo play, though how its scaling works compared to normal trios is still unknown. FromSoftware’s usual NPC summons might be out this time, but one ofNightreign’s eight playable characters can apparently get help from their unique Spirit Ashes.Elden Ring Nightreignis far from a doomed endeavoras both a functional Souls roguelike and a multiplayer title, but it’s a shame to seeMonster Hunter Wildsalready outdoing it as the latter in every way possible.
