Over the Valentine's Day weekend, fans can rekindle their romance with FromSoftware's hit Elden Ring with the release of the Elden Ring Nightreign.
The new standalone multiplayer version of Elden Ring was revealed to be released later this year on May 30. However, a network test was announced to stress-test the servers before the full release.
This new title involves teams of three players spending several days in the Lands Between. They take on bosses from FromSoftware's catalog, gather materials, and return to a hub to upgrade for the next run.
Elden Ring Nightreign Network Test Times Revealed
The Elden Ring Nightreign network test dates and times were revealed, allowing fans to try the game early.
Unlike a beta or early access demo fans may be familiar with (like the recently run Monster Hunter: Wilds demo), the Elden Ring Nightreign network test cannot always be accessed during its trial period.
Instead of the test being ready to play for several days uninterrupted, fans will have to log on at specific times throughout its test weekend as developer FromSoftware tests its server under the stress of an influx of players joining in on the fun all at once.
The Elden Ring Nightreign network test weekend runs from Friday, February 14, 2025, to Sunday, February 16, 2025. Five play periods are scheduled throughout the weekend.
Below is a full list of Elden Ring Nightreign's network test session dates and times:
- Friday, February 14: 3 a.m. - 6 a.m. PT
- Friday, February 14: 7 p.m. - 10 p.m PT
- Saturday, February 15: 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. PT
- Sunday, February 16: 3 a.m. - 6 a.m. PT
- Sunday, February 16: 7 p.m. - 10 p.m. PT
The first of these saw major server issues on the players' part, so those jumping in should be mindful of various technical hiccups and potential connection issues that may be present.
What To Expect in Elden Ring Nightreign
While not the final product, Elden Ring Nightreign's network test contains significant content for players to enjoy.
This early access period will include four of the eight classes that will be present in the game's final release, allowing players to take on specific roles as they head into The Lands Between with two friends.
These four classes are the Wylder, Guardian, Duchess, and Recluse. The Wylder is the most well-rounded of the classes, being the team's primary damage dealer, while carrying fairly average stats.
Guardian is the heavy of the team, being able to take some damage while doling out some of its own. The Duchess is a damage-stacking rogue-like class. Lastly, Recluse is a magic user specializing in damage-dealing and stat-buffing spells for themselves and the team.
It is worth noting that these are only half of the classes that will be percent in the game's final build, with four more on the way.
Nightreign differs from Elden Ring (and its uber-popular DLC) because it is not a fully open-world RPG experience. Instead, it pulls its influences from multiplayer titles like Helldivers and Escape from Tarkov with roguelikes like Hades and Binding of Isaac.
The new FromSoftware experience sees teams of three dropping into a procedurally generated region of The Lands Between known as Limveld, where they have three in-game days to collect gear, level up, and take on bosses from across the developer's catalog.
Along the way, players will come across exciting new items, some even from the base Elden Ring game (read about Elden Ring's best items here), to better equip them to survive longer in the run.
Elden Ring Nightreign will be released on May 30 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC. The base game is not required, as Nightreign will be available as a standalone purchase of $39.99.
