Because the information aboutElden Ring Nightreignis fairly limited at this point, speculation about what the game’s story will mean forElden Ringloreis through the roof. While the director has made it clear that the new game will not change anything fromElden RingorShadow of the Erdtree’s stories, it’s also clear thatNightreignwill have an entirely original narrative of its own. WhetherNightreignsheds any light on the deeper lore ofElden Ringbefore the Shatteringdoes not change the potential forNightreign’sstory to be as rich and developed as its predecessors.
Further, becauseNightreignwill include randomized elements such as random map generation, bosses, loot, etc., some may assume this means that the story will also be random at some level, or that the randomness of the game might be aproblem for the lore. However, based on FromSoftware’s track record with narrative and lore-rich games, there’s no reason to believe thatNightreign’s story won’t be an equally deep and interesting branch ofElden Ringlore. It’s far too early to write off or dismissNightreign’s lore as irrelevant just because it doesn’t directly affect the events ofElden Ring.
Random Bosses Won’t Mean Random Stories In Nightreign
FromSoftware’s Environmental Storytelling Will Still Be At Play In Nightreign
Randomized maps, bosses, loot, and enemy placement inNightreignimply a degree of chaos that theElden Ringuniverse has not experienced.These random elements should not be mistaken for unintentional, careless, or haphazard, especially given the nature of nearly every FromSoftware title in existence. FromDark SoulstoBloodborneto theArmored Coregames - FromSoftware’s use of environmental storytelling is at the heart of each of these beloved franchises, withElden RingandSOTEarguably utilizing it the most effectively. The random maps inNightreignwill likely still include new clues about this branch of lore.
Elden Ring Nightreign: Release Date, Platforms, Trailer, Gameplay & Story Details
Elden Ring Nightreign was announced with a trailer, but more information is still coming, including a release date, and platform and gameplay details.
Nightreignwill likely include a complex narrative built around the eight core playable characters and eight bosses, as well as invading bosses, weapon pickups, NPC storylines, and more that has yet to be revealed.Random maps will still contain environmental clues, and may even offer insight intoNightreign’sunique branch of lore. These details might even serve to parse what happened differently betweenNightreignandElden Ring’sbranches, giving players a chance to compare locations inNightreignwith theirElden Ringcounterparts. There is vast potential to build out and establishNightreign’s lore with these randomized elements and environmental storytelling.
Nightreign’s Branch Of Lore May Be Just As Deep As Elden Ring’s
Nightreign Will Have Its Own Unique Story Independent Of Elden Ring
While it may seem messy forNightreignto rely heavily on assets fromElden Ring, doing so introduces more possibilities than problems.These familiar characters and locations are likely to introduce new mysteries relevant specifically to theNightreignbranch of lore, and won’t require any knowledge or understanding of the original as a prerequisite.Nightreigncan build its own story after the events of the Shattering and develop it without being constrained or limited by what already exists as canon.Nightreign’s story will likely be condensed in the way it’s delivered, but that doesn’t necessarily equate to a lack of narrative depth.
10 Biggest Gameplay Changes In Elden Ring: Nightreign
Elden Ring Nightreign will include some major gameplay changes from Elden Ring and SOTE, from cooperative multiplayer to randomized maps.
Seeing how the familiar parts fromElden Ringare re-imagined inNightreignwill also be exciting for players who have spent vast amounts of time theorizing about the endless mysteries in the Lands Between. While the lore fromNightreignwill not change any elements from the original, it can add context to pre-Shattering events, though it’s unlikely to focus much of the narrative there simply to avoid confusion or possible contradictions.Nightreignwill likely focus on character-driven stories,given the gameplay requires players to choose from one of eight characters and bosses for each run.
Why Potential Nightreign Story & Lore Shouldn’t Be Underestimated
Given FromSoftware’s History Of Lore-Rich Games, Nightreign’s Story Isn’t Likely To Disappoint
DespiteNightreign’s shift toward cooperative multiplayerand an overall more streamlined approach to gameplay, nothing indicates the branch of lore the game establishes will be limited by the game’s new structure in any way. FromSoftware has a tremendous track record of games that deliver high-quality stories, told deliberately through NPC dialogue and passively through environmental storytelling (and item descriptions, etc.). No matter what form the gameplay takes,the characters and plots will likely be just as fully developed as anything FromSoftware has put out previously.To assume otherwise is a vast underestimation of the company’s proven capabilities.
Nothing indicates the branch of lore Nightreign establishes will be limited by the game’s new structure in any way.
Still, the question remains whether the intentional shift toward a more “approachable” game will attract players that simply do not care as much about story, lore, or narrative elements, or if the game will simply be less detailed, or possibly include fewer environmental storytelling elements than its predecessors. Players will have to wait until 2025 to see how successful or engaging the story and lore will be. However,Elden Ring Nightreignhas the potential to include a story just as rich in lore and narrative depth as any FromSoftware game that comes before it, and to write it off before experiencing the game in its entirety is a mistake.
Source:Bandai Namco Entertainment America/YouTube
Elden Ring Nightreign
FromSoftware has announcedElden Ring: Nightreign, a standalone multiplayer game set in Limgrave, a region of the Lands Between.
