I still remember the first time I walked into Elden Ring’s open world. No quest markers, no forced tutorials, no handholding—just me, a crumbling landscape, and a giant knight on horseback who absolutely destroyed me within the first five minutes. It was everything I wanted from a game: brutal, beautiful, and completely open-ended.
And now, FromSoftware is doing it again—but this time, it’s Elden Ring: Nightreign.
They haven’t said much about it yet, but if you know anything about FromSoft, you know that their best games aren’t just sequels—they’re reinventions.
So what the hell is Nightreign? And how is it going to change the Soulsborne formula?
What We Know So Far About Elden Ring: Nightreign
FromSoftware officially filed the trademark for “Nightreign” in early 2024, leading to speculation that it was either a DLC expansion or a standalone game in the Elden Ring universe.
Here’s what we know so far:
- It’s not just a DLC—it’s a full-scale spin-off.
- It’s set in the Lands Between, but in a new era—possibly long before or after the events of Elden Ring.
- The title “Nightreign” suggests a world in darkness, meaning we could see an even darker, more oppressive setting than the original game.
- There are rumors that it’s going to focus on a new protagonist, possibly connected to Ranni’s ending.
If it follows the pattern of FromSoft’s previous spin-offs—like Bloodborne or Sekiro—this could be an entirely new take on the Soulsborne formula.
Will Nightreign Be Open-World Again?
One of the biggest questions is whether FromSoftware will stick with the open-world format or go back to something more linear.
- Elden Ring was their first true open-world game, and it completely redefined how people think about exploration in RPGs.
- The structure of Nightreign could tighten up the open-world elements—maybe bringing in more dense, interconnected areas like Dark Souls, rather than the sprawling fields of the Lands Between.
- Given the title “Nightreign,” some fans think it could be a Bloodborne-style spin on Elden Ring’s world—a more gothic, horror-driven take on the lore.
Will It Be Connected to Ranni’s Ending?
If you played Elden Ring, you know Ranni’s ending is one of the most mysterious in the game.
She rejects the Greater Will, disappears into the stars, and ushers in the Age of Stars—a period of cosmic, unknowable change that we never actually get to see.
- Some fans believe Nightreign is set during the Age of Stars, showing us what happens after Ranni departs.
- If true, that could mean a much darker, stranger, more Lovecraftian version of the world we know.
- It could also mean an entirely new magic system, given how different Ranni’s influence is from the Erdtree’s.
If this is where FromSoft is going, we could be headed for something even wilder than Elden Ring’s base game.
What FromSoftware Needs to Get Right
If Elden Ring: Nightreign is going to live up to the hype, it needs to avoid the pitfalls that have plagued other sequels and spin-offs.
- The world has to feel fresh. No simple re-skins of previous areas—we need new lore, new enemies, and new surprises.
- Combat has to evolve. FromSoft games don’t just copy-paste mechanics—they refine them. We need new weapon types, new builds, and new challenges.
- The story has to stand on its own. Whether it’s a prequel, sequel, or alternate timeline, Nightreign has to be more than just an expansion of Elden Ring’s lore—it has to add something truly new.
So, When Will We Actually Play It?
Right now, FromSoftware hasn’t given us an official release window—but if we follow their usual development cycle, we could see Nightreign drop as early as 2026.
If it’s anything like their past spin-offs, it could be their best work yet—something that pushes the Soulsborne genre into entirely new territory.
And if it’s really connected to Ranni’s ending?
Then Elden Ring was just the beginning.