For the primary couple of minutes, the trailer for Elden Ring Nightreign is… not precisely predictable, however actually comprehensible. It’s Elden Ring like we’ve by no means seen it earlier than, remixed and reassembled, however nonetheless unmistakably a return to The Lands Between. After which… is that The Anonymous King from Darkish Souls 3?
And then you definately rewind and pay nearer consideration. Sure, that is The Anonymous King from Darkish Souls 3, and he’s not the one boss from FromSoftware’s again catalogue making a comeback. One other rewind and one other nearer inspection reveals that pleasant NPCs from Darkish Souls have additionally arrived on the planet of Elden Ring. Not solely that, however even gameplay mechanics from throughout the developer’s portfolio of labor have discovered their approach into this upcoming co-op roguelite. And so there’s one query that burns brighter than every other:
Is Elden Ring Nightreign introducing a FromSoftware multiverse?
The Anonymous King is likely one of the most ruthless opponents in Darkish Souls 3. He’s a big determine within the collection’ lore, having first been detailed within the authentic Darkish Souls and its sequel earlier than lastly showing within the flesh as an elective boss within the last a part of the trilogy. He’s identified for his imposing dragon mount and skill to channel lightning, each of that are seen within the last minute of Nightreign’s trailer. There’s no mistaking him: this isn’t a tribute, homage, or lookalike: The Anonymous King is a foe within the subsequent Elden Ring sport.
If seeing wasn’t believing, the official Darkish Souls social media channels have confirmed that parts of the collection will seem in Nightreign, albeit in a characteristically cryptic method. “Within the Night time, ancestral foes await – remnants of a fireplace that after burned brilliant,” reads the publish on X, which accompanies a repost of the Nightreign trailer.
Within the Night time, ancestral foes await – remnants of a fireplace that after burned brilliant.#ELDENRING #NIGHTREIGN launches on PlayStation, Xbox, and PC Digital in 2025. https://t.co/TyPLQabumO
— Darkish Souls (@DarkSoulsGame) December 13, 2024
The 2 collection are positively being linked, then. And so different acquainted creatures start to make a number of sense. Two additional Darkish Souls enemies will be noticed amongst Bandai Namco’s advertising supplies. One minute and 22 seconds into the trailer, we see a group of warriors battling with a grotesque, multi-limbed beast, its uncovered ribcage set aflame by a participant’s explosive bolt. Longterm followers will immediately recognise this foe because the Centipede Demon from the unique Darkish Souls, albeit with a big graphical facelift.
Only a few seconds earlier there’s a shot of a crawling spider that evokes the arachnid-infested areas of Darkish Souls 2. However the golden proof of Darkish Souls 2’s involvement will be present in a screenshot launched alongside the trailer, which straight up reveals that The Duke’s Expensive Freja, a colossal eight-legged nightmare, will make an look in Nightreign.
That’s a boss from every sport within the Darkish Souls trilogy, then. However there’s extra proof to counsel that it isn’t simply the enemies of FromSoft’s flagship collection which have discovered their approach into Elden Ring. On the trailer’s mid-point we’re launched to a lady who wears an ornate steel face masks over her eyes and nostril – the unmistakable apparel of Darkish Souls 3’s Hearth Keeper. Now, I’ve to confess that this character’s voice doesn’t sound like an actual match to the unique character. However actors usually are not at all times obtainable to reprise previous roles, and – alongside all the opposite proof – it doesn’t appear a stretch to counsel our previous Firelink Shrine companion could also be an enormous a part of Nightreign’s story.
Mechanical Mixup
Returning associates and foes are the apparent factor to get enthusiastic about, however there are smaller, doubtlessly extra impactful gameplay parts seen within the trailer that additionally level to one thing of an overlapping multiverse impact. Reasonably than permitting you to create your personal character, Nightreign asks you to step into the footwear of a pre-defined hero with their very own distinctive skillset. Of those revealed thus far, Duchess and Wylder are of essentially the most curiosity. Duchess’ exquisitely tailor-made outfit instantly brings Bloodborne to thoughts. Whereas I’m not but satisfied by fan theories that that is an alternate model of Woman Maria, I’m excited by her quickstep potential, which replicates the dodge mechanic of FromSoft’s beloved Lovecraftian nightmare. Wylder, in the meantime, has entry to a grappling hook that replicates a few of the utility of Sekiro’s personal prosthetic software.
It’s laborious to assert these parts are multiversal in the identical approach because the literal look of previous bosses, however it’s fascinating nonetheless to see these parts bleed into Elden Ring. Afterall, the distinctive gameplay flavours of every FromSoft sport are as vital because the bosses. Additional, non-character-specific mechanics embrace the power to clamber up partitions akin to the hero of Sekrio, being carried by a spectral chook from one location to a different in a way much like the Big Crow experience in Darkish Souls, and what actually does appear to be a medieval fantasy model of Bloodborne’s Stake Driver hooked up to Wylder’s arm through the battle towards the Centipede Demon. As a long-time FromSoft fan, it’s laborious to not be enthusiastic about all this.
The Legislation of Lore
As with something FromSoftware creates, there’s a pure urgency to need to know the way every little thing suits into the lore. There’s solely a lot to know at this very early stage, however our personal interview with sport director Junya Ishizaki at the very least offers us a place to begin for theories.
“We would like followers to consider Nightreign as an Elden Ring spin-off, at first,” Ishizaki defined. “The story is totally separate and parallel to the world of Elden Ring’s. If you happen to needed to tie it indirectly, we had the occasions of the shattering within the authentic sport. After the occasions of the shattering, it is a fully separate department of the Elden Ring story.”
So Nightreign is a separate timeline. Put up the shattering, something may have occurred on this model of Elden Ring’s historical past. However it doesn’t matter what sort of story is written on this world’s personal warped historical past books, the tip result’s the reign of the Night time Lord – this new sport’s final foe.
If you happen to really feel such as you’ve heard that title earlier than, it’s most likely since you’ve both learn loads of merchandise descriptions in Elden Ring or watched VaatiVidya’s lore video in regards to the Nox. Within the curiosity of time, listed here are your CliffsNotes: the Nox are the folks you encounter within the underground Everlasting Cities of Nokron and Nokstella, the place they – in keeping with in-game descriptions – “stay beneath a false evening sky, in everlasting anticipation of their liege. Of the approaching age of the celebrities. And their Lord of Night time.”
Lord of Night time. Night time Lord. Might it’s that Elden Ring Nightreign depicts a timeline wherein the age of stars has arrived and the Lord of Night time has risen? In that case, the Nox are the keepers of the mimic tear – are the issues we see mimics of issues from different worlds?
Somewhat extra theorycraft suggests an alternate choice. That publish on the Darkish Souls X feed spoke of “remnants of a fireplace that after burned brilliant.” That appears to be a reference to The First Flame, which might be extinguished within the finale of Darkish Souls 3. Are the Centipede Demon, Duke’s Expensive Freja, and The Anonymous King “remnants” of The First Flame?
Whereas we’re having enjoyable, we all know that the extinguishing of The First Flame is only one of a number of endings to Darkish Souls 3 – endings that each one, theoretically talking, would produce their very own timeline. Might it’s that this alternate timeline for Elden Ring, dominated over by the Lord of Night time, has merged with The Finish of Hearth timeline of Darkish Souls? Solely time will inform if the lore actually is so deep and thoroughly-plotted, and if this actually is the beginning of a FromSoft multiverse… or if Nightreign is simply FromSoftware letting unfastened and having a little bit of enjoyable. My cash is on the latter.
Again in 2019, Elden Ring’s director Hidetaka Miyazaki mentioned that he was occupied with making a battle royale sport. 5 years later we now have an Elden Ring multiplayer roguelike that options what seems to be a shrinking circle of loss of life. However who may have guessed that, on the day FromSoft introduced a sport with battle royale parts, that the factor we’d be obsessing over was the return of a gargantuan bastard from Darkish Souls 3? One factor is evident: you may depend on FromSoft to repeatedly shock us.
Matt Purslow is IGN’s Senior Options Editor.
