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One of the most surprising reveals atThe Game Awardsthis year was the sudden announcement of a multiplier-focused spinoff to the ever-popularElden Ring. Showcasing a plethora of flashy new movies and enemies to counter,Elden Ring Nightreignstunned audiences after its initial gameplay reveal but left more questions than answers for fans of the series. Seeming to incorporate elements from across FromSoftware’sDark Soulsgames,Nightreigncould open the door for new content related to the highly requestedBloodborneremake.
One of the first areas of confusion withNightreign’s reveal is the impression that it was simply another DLC for the expansiveElden Ring, although this speculation was quickly squashed after a press release from the developers.Elden Ring Nightreign, while using assets and similar maps from the titularElden Ringwill be anentirely standalone gaming experience, and despite the new direction inspired by free-to-play games, will not feature live service mechanics. While the trailer was met with an expected level of excitement for a FromSoftware release, its use of iconic characters and assets from previous Souls games is by far one of its most attention-worthy features.
How Elden Ring Nightreign Works
An Entirely New Direction For FromSoftware’s Formula
Nightreignfeatures a drastically different gameplay loop than Souls-like players will be accustomed to, with a focus on short rogue-like runs as opposed to an overarching continuous world.Each session will follow up to three players attempting to survive three days in a row in a world seemingly overtaken by night,with a shrinking map size that gets more difficult the further players progress.
While it seems thatNightreignwill still feature some form of story mechanics based on clips showing new cutscenes, it’s likely to take a backseat to the new multiplayer-focused gameplay dynamics. Unlike the long-term character upgrades fromElden Ring,players will start each run ofNightreignat level 1, where they’ll get to customize their skills up to a certain level each time to experiment with new playstyles and equipment load-outs.
Elden Ring 2 Isn’t In Production, And That’s A Good Thing
Elden Ring 2 is not in development at FromSoftware, but this is actually very good news for both the developer and its dedicated fan base.
Scavenging is still a key aspect ofNightreign’s gameplay loop as well, but the gear will be randomly generated each time, ensuring that no single run is the same as the rest. Players will need to take advantage of the limited daylight to search for valuable gear and level up to prepare for the approaching night, where their skills will be put to the test against challenging enemies from the distant past.
Facing Off Against The Strongest Enemies From Dark Souls And Beyond
Elden RingNightreignhas a long list of gameplay changes and new mechanics being introduced, but one of the most shocking sights from the reveal trailer was thereturn of the Nameless KingfromDark Souls 3.What makes this inclusion all the more surprising is that the developers had shut down most fan theories thatElden Ringwas connected to the world and story of theDark Soulstrilogy, although that might have been a ruse all along. While the setting ofNightreignseems somewhat detached fromElden Ring, there’s no doubt that it will have connections to past entries in the franchise, which may even extend beyondDark Souls.
The returning characters opened the door to countless new theories about how the two worlds connect.
Aside from showcasing a battle with the Nameless King and his trusty dragon mount,viewers were also quick to spot the unmistakable visage of a Firekeeper dressed in unusually bright cloth. While it’s uncertain ifNightreign’s Firekeper is the same one that players grew accustomed to inDark Souls 3, the returning characters opened the door to countless new theories abouthow the two worlds connect. DespiteNightreignonly showing off recognizable characters from the third entry in theDark Soulsseries, there are likely to be more reveals in the future, which may include the return of characters from another iconic FromSoftware game.
Bloodborne Might Make Its Way Into Elden Ring Nightreign
Unleashing The Power Of The Hunt On The Lands Between
Unfortunately, there was no evidence in the trailer to point towards characters or assets returning fromBloodborneinNightreign’s trailer, but it would be a massively missed opportunity not to include them. GivenNightreign’s focus on drastically faster-paced combat, frantic pacing, and new movement abilities,Bloodbornewould make a perfect fit intoNighreignthanks to its focus on aggressive combat mechanics. WhileBloodborneis a further stretch to fit into the medieval fantasy setting shared byElden RingandDark Souls, the inclusion of the Nameless King and a Firekeeper is already stretching the boundaries for what’s possible inElden Ring’s canon.
Bloodbornewould make a perfect fit intoNighreignthanks to its focus on aggressive combat mechanics.
Even ifBloodborneisn’t revealed to be included in the final release ofElden Ring Nightreign, there’s not much stopping it from being added in a future DLC expansion to the standalone spinoff. WithNieghreign’s new class system providing unique playstyles and powerful magical abilities,it would be incredibly satisfying to see a Hunter from the streets of Yharnam unleashed upon the enemies of the tarnished.
Ultimately, the hope forBloodborne’s inclusion all depends on how lore-friendlyNightreignends up being, as it could easily become a love letter to fans with inclusions ranging fromSekirotoDemon Souls, or simply a way of bridging the worlds of The Lands Between and Lordran together.
Reigniting Hope For A Bloodborne Remaster
A Slim Chance For A Bloodborne Themed Renaissance
With Sony recently acquiring ownership of the parent company of FromSoftware, hope was reignited among fans at the potential of a next-gen remaster for the belovedBloodborne. While it was an exciting prospect,apotential FromSoftware remasteris unlikely to be what fans expect, with rumors circulating about a remaster in the works for the iconicDark Souls 3instead. While a remaster forBloodbornehas achieved nearly the same mythological status as the long-awaitedHalf-Life 3,Elden Ring Nightreigncould hold the potential to provide new content fromBloodborne.
FromSoft Devs Want Bloodborne On PC Just As Much As You Do
If the developers at FromSoftware decide to add enemies, weapons, or outfits fromBloodborneto the world ofNightreign, they’ll need access to the original game files.Bloodborne’s poorly managed code has already been cited as one of the largest reasons that a remaster or PC port hasn’t seen the light of day, butNightreigncould provide more than enough financial incentive to warrant digging them up again.
Given thatBloodborne’s assets still hold up well to this day, they wouldn’t need much touching up to get ported over toNightreign,being a great way to not only save development time but also open the door for theBloodborneremaster fans have been waiting nearly a decade for. Even if aBloodborneremake never comes from its potential inclusion inNightreign, seeing the assets in the visual fidelity offered byElden Ringwould be a great way to appease fans.
It still wouldn’t compare to what a true remaster of the original experience would provide players.
Some fans have even gotten so tired of waiting for an officialBloodbornePC portthat they’ve made their own,emulating the game to run on computers while performing almost as well as the PlayStation 4 itself. While a PC port ofBloodborneis likely to be well-received no matter the form it comes in, whether emulated or as assets inElden RingNightreign, it still wouldn’t compare to what a true remaster of the original experience would provide players.
