Elden Ring Nightreign, FromSoftware’s ambitious multiplayer spin-off of the critically acclaimed 2022 open-world RPG, has exploded onto the PC scene, marking an impressive debut. However, this initial triumph is quickly being overshadowed by a rising tide of player frustration, as user reviews highlight significant issues with onboarding, communication, and a punishing difficulty curve that heavily favors coordinated team play.
A Blazing Start on Steam
Released on PC around 6:00 p.m. ET before its official launch today on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, Elden Ring Nightreign immediately surged up the Steam charts. It attracted over 300,000 concurrent players, making it the fourth-biggest game on Valve’s storefront and, significantly, FromSoftware’s second-biggest PC launch ever, trailing only its monumental predecessor, Elden Ring. The powerful brand recognition and a $40 price point undoubtedly fueled this initial surge for the experimental multiplayer title.
Not Your Father’s Elden Ring: A Rude Awakening for Many
It didn’t take long for players to discover that Nightreign is a stark departure from the deliberate, solitary exploration of the original Elden Ring. The spin-off plunges players into a battle royale-influenced loot race, condensing an entire Soulsborne-esque experience into intense 45-minute sessions. This rapid pace and new format, coupled with FromSoftware’s signature minimalist approach to tutorials, has left many feeling lost and unprepared. Players are already criticizing Nightreign’s “notable hostility to explaining itself.”
While offline solo play is an option, the game’s difficulty curve is described as a “right angle,” heavily rewarding tight-knit groups and seamless coordination – a stark challenge for those venturing in alone or with random matchmaking.
Player Backlash: Communication Woes and Co-op Conundrum
The game currently holds a “Mixed” 65 percent rating on Steam, making it FromSoftware’s lowest-scored release on the platform apart from Dark Souls III’s Ashes of Ariandel DLC. The user reviews paint a clear picture:
Forced Team Play: “If you don’t have 2 other friends to play with in voice chat, don’t waste your time,” lamented Steam user Hishamm.
Lack of Communication Tools: “Gameplay itself seems fun but I can’t possible leave a positive review if a game released in 2025 has no way to communicate in a coop game (neither voice nor text chat),” wrote Lynni. Pings and emotes are proving insufficient for the coordination required.
Solo Sufferance: “Impossible to make progress without voice chat,” stated Vahit Horoz, adding, “If you have 3 friends you can talk to and play regularly, you will have a great time.”
No Duos Mode: A major pain point is the lack of a duos queue, forcing players into either solo play or a three-stack. Matchmaking with strangers often results in uncoordinated efforts, exacerbating the communication issue.
Many believe these issues will somewhat even out as the community learns the randomized map and gameplay loop, but the absence of modern multiplayer essentials is a significant hurdle.
Developer Response and The Path Ahead
Prior to launch, director Junya Ishizaki told IGN that duos support wasn’t a priority for release. “We are trying to cater to a fun experience with three people,” he explained, admitting that “in putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well.”
It remains to be seen if FromSoftware will adjust the brutal difficulty for solo players. The Nightlord bosses are described as nearly insurmountable for even seasoned Elden Ring veterans playing alone. A mysterious day-one patch mentioned “balance changes,” but specifics are currently unknown. Fans are hopeful, recalling how FromSoftware previously adjusted Shadow of the Erdtree’s notoriously tough final boss.
Elden Ring Nightreign has certainly made a grand entrance, but its long-term success will hinge on FromSoftware’s willingness to address these early, significant criticisms regarding communication, solo viability, and party-size flexibility. The Lands Between are calling, but many players are finding the price of entry – a full pre-made squad – a bit too steep.
