Elden Ring Nightreign Network Test: A Three-Hour Daily Limit
The upcoming Elden Ring Nightreign network test will impose a three-hour daily playtime restriction on participants. This limited access test will run from February 14th to February 17th, exclusively for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 players. PC players will be excluded from this initial test.
The news of this time limit, while potentially disappointing to some eager fans hoping for extended gameplay, is unsurprising given the nature of the test. The network test serves as a crucial preliminary verification to assess the online systems' performance under significant network load. Applications for the test, which opened January 10th, are still being accepted through the official FromSoftware website.
The announcement of Nightreign itself followed the massive success of Elden Ring, FromSoftware's 2022 masterpiece. Elden Ring's unexpected popularity, further fueled by the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, has generated immense anticipation for its spin-off. Nightreign's reveal at The Game Awards 2024 was a major highlight of the event.
Nightreign represents a significant departure for FromSoftware, prioritizing co-operative gameplay and incorporating roguelike elements such as procedurally generated encounters. While a release date remains unannounced, the network test strongly suggests a forthcoming official launch announcement. The test's primary goal is to thoroughly evaluate the online infrastructure before a wider release.