Elden Ring Nightreign Hits 2 Million Sales in Under 24 Hours, Defying Mixed Reviews and Co-op Quirks
Despite not quite basking in the same universal critical acclaim as its legendary predecessor, Elden Ring Nightreign is proving to be a commercial juggernaut right out of the gate. FromSoftware’s new co-op focused adventure has already sold an impressive two million copies in less than 24 hours since its launch.
The news was trumpeted on the official Elden Ring Twitter account, which declared: “Darkness fell over Limveld, and two million Nightfarers rose up against it. Thank you for your support.” While the announcement cleverly frames this as “two million Nightfarers,” it’s important to note that with Nightreign not currently available on subscription services like Xbox Game Pass or PlayStation Plus, each of those players represents a direct sale.
This rapid sales success is, on one hand, hardly surprising. It’s a new title from the revered FromSoftware, and a spin-off from the monumental Elden Ring, a game that has itself sold over 30 million copies. However, Nightreign arrives with a few unique caveats. Its strong emphasis on three-player co-op – specifically excluding duos – has already generated some community discussion, with many pairs actively seeking a third to complete their adventuring party.
Furthermore, its critical reception hasn’t been flawless. Debuting on Metacritic with an average critic score of 78, it marked FromSoftware’s lowest-rated game in seven years. That score has since dipped slightly to 77 (for the commonly rated PS5 version). The sentiment on Steam mirrors this, with its initial “Mostly Positive” rating sliding to a “Mixed” average, currently holding 65% positive reviews.
Yet, these critiques and design choices haven’t significantly dented its initial sales momentum. The game is clearly resonating with a large audience, evidenced by a strong concurrent player peak on Steam hitting 313,593 almost immediately after launch.
It seems the allure of the Elden Ring universe and the FromSoftware pedigree are powerful motivators for players eager to dive into Limveld. This is just the beginning for Nightreign, with FromSoftware already confirming that a new patch is slated for release next week, promising improvements to the experience, particularly for solo players.
While Nightreign might be charting a slightly different course than the original Elden Ring, its early sales figures paint a picture of a highly anticipated release successfully capturing a significant player base, eager to see what darkness and adventure await.
