Elden Ring Nightreign, a weird and experimental multiplayer-led title that FromSoftware basically built in a cave using exploded fragments of Elden Ring proper, has been a big hit.
Parent company Kadokawa said "FromSoftware's ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN has performed well beyond initial expectations" in its latest earnings report. A separate written report reiterates that Nightreign "exceeded expectations" in the company's gaming segment. However, the company declined to release exact figures for actual and projected sales.
"We are aiming for further sales growth for ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN, original ELDEN RING, and its DLC," the company says of its future outlook.
In August, publisher Bandai Namco celebrated its own Nightreign high, with digital profits up 7 billion Yen partly thanks to over 5 million Elden Ring Nightreign players.
In its report, Kadokawa adds that, "FromSoftware is currently developing ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN DLC (planned for release in FY2025), ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition (planned for release in 2026 for Nintendo Switch 2), and The Duskbloods (planned for release in 2026)."
As we learned before release, that Nightreign DLC will add new playable Nightfarers and bosses. Our Elden Ring Nightreign review questioned the longevity of the game but praised its "fresh and fast take on the Soulsborne format."
After a few good updates addressing balance issues, I'd agree that what Nightreign needs most is a shotgun blast of new stuff. It gets a little same-y after a while with relatively few map seeds to go around. I've done all the bosses and mega-bosses, and the relic economy is such a crapshoot that I've basically lost interest in it.
Sales of the DLC will surely be below those of the base game – not just for the lower price, but also accounting for the attach rate – but a good expansion would also surely give Nightreign a second wave of sales and attention. If the game is already handily beating expectations, likely set with its experimental nature and relatively cheap production in mind, I'd wager FromSoftware and Kadokawa may be happier still in a few months' time.
Warm reception for Nightreign also bodes well for fellow FromSoft multiplayer experiment The Duskbloods, though it has unique challenges of its own to overcome not just as a Switch 2 exclusive, but also as a PvPvE game.
We spoke to Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki at length about the oddball project earlier this year. He said he'd been thinking about a game like this since Dark Souls 3, and "the scope of Elden Ring" pushed the idea over the edge.
