After the recent announcement ofElden Ring Nightreign,some devout fans of the original Elden Ring’s lore have likely been filled with a sense of uneasiness. Seeing the beloved franchise re-imagined as a fast-paced, speed-running cooperative multiplayer experience raises plenty of questions about whether theories surrounding longtime lore will remain viable, or if many will ultimately have to return to square one. Longtime FromSoftware fans also likely noticedThe Nameless King from Dark Souls 3had a cameo inthe reveal trailer, raising questions about further connections to the Soulsborne universe and what can or should be considered canon.
Fortunately, the game’s director offered insight into the possible connections thatNightreignwill have withElden Ringand whether its events will ultimately contradict or influence the original story.Nightreignis ultimately promised to serve as a separate, standalone experience fromElden Ring, butone that runs in parallel to the events of the original. The connections between the two games stem fromthe Shattering inElden Ring, a core turning point that ultimately brought chaos upon the Lands Between. Luckily for those die-hard lore enthusiasts, it’s unlikely thatNightreignwill have any impact on the existingElden Ringlore.
What A Parallel Elden Ring Universe Means For Lore
Nightreign Takes Place After The Events Of The Shattering
In an interview betweenIGNand game director Junya Ishizaki, Ishizaki clarified thatNightreign’s “story is completely separate and parallel to the world of Elden Ring’s,“meaningthere is a completely alternate reality taking place alongsideElden Ringthat will have its own unique set of lore-establishing narratives. From this statement,it’s evident that bothElden RingandNightreignare technically canonin theElden Ringuniverse and simply exist in parallel realities after the Shattering occurred. Each reality will have its own established connections to canonical characters, but these wouldn’t necessarily contradict each other despite potential overlap.
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.
The decision to placeNightreignin a separate but parallel reality allows it to establish its own lore while simultaneously explaining the appearance of familiar characters, bosses, and areas. The director also clarified thatNightreignis set"after the events of the Shattering"and that"this is a completely separate branch of the Elden Ring story.“This caveat implies thatthere could be some connection between the two stories rooted in pre-Shattering lore, which is an already somewhat difficult period to parse due to vague details. However, the director also stated thatNightreignshould not"encroach"on the existing story.
Elden Ring Nightreign Could Be The Closest Chance For A Bloodborne Remaster Yet
With Nighreign incorporating elements from past Souls games, there’s a chance assets from Bloodborne could make their way into The Lands Between.
Ultimately,Nightreignbeing set in a parallel universe after the Shattering means thatElden Ring’slore will not change or be altered in any way, and to suggest otherwise is to misunderstand the concept of a branched reality.The Shattering can be viewed as a splitting-off point,whereNightreign’snarrative goes down a different pathway thanElden Ring’s.Director Ishizaki makes it clearNightreignis a standalone spin-off ofElden Ring, and both storylines are able to coexist simultaneously without contradicting each other. Like it or not, it’s unlikelyNightreignwill answer any lingering questions fans might have aboutElden Ring’slore.
What It Means If Nightreign Lore Is Not Connected To Elden Ring’s
Nightreign Is A Separate Story With Different Lore Than Elden Ring
IfNightreign’sstory has no impact onElden Ring’s, there is no need for debate about what is and isn’t canon—both are canon in their own right.Nightreignwill be able to build its own unique, detailed narrative and thereforeestablish its own lore by using pre-Shattering events as a basis.Some details inNightreignthat provide insight into what happened before the Shattering may also shed light onElden Ring’sestablished lore, but would not change or alter anything. However,Nightreignisn’t likely to focus on pre-Shattering events, given the director’s intentions to avoid established lore.
Nightreignwill exist in its own reality, allowing the game to explore alternative storylines for any familiar character from the Lands Between. This new parallel reality has absolutely no basis in the lore thatGeorge R.R. Martin influenced, as stated by the game’s director, so that might explain why characters from theDark Soulsuniverse are also showing up.Nightreignwill build its lore around a core set of character and boss backstories and has the freedom to incorporate familiar icons and allow players to experience them anew.Characters inNightreigndo not exist in the same form in any other reality.
Pros And Cons Of Having Two Branches Of Lore
Alternate Universes Aren’t Every Tarnished’s Cup Of Tea
Not everyone will be a fan of the branched-lore approach toNightreign’snarrative. Arguably,Elden Ring’slore was already convoluted and difficult enough to understand for most players, and this branching of new lore adds another layer to that complex puzzle. For those who obsess overElden Ring’slore,Nightreign’sspin-off still appears to be a deconstruction of something great, and possiblya missed opportunity to resolve a few of those outstanding mysteriesfrom the original masterpiece. Further, the gray area related to pre-Shattering events seems like a frustrating and unnecessary muddying of the waters.
Elden Ring: Nightreign Will Be A Fully Standalone Game, Not A Live Service Game, Says FromSoftware
Shortly after the surprise announcement of Elden Ring: Nightreign, the game’s director has confirmed that the title will not be a live service game.
Nonetheless, the new branch of lore opens up vast possibilities for new narratives, characters, and locations that are built for veterans and newcomers alike. A departure from the classic Soulsborne storytelling experience willbring in a new wave of players who may not have been keen onElden Ring’sdifficulty level,style of gameplay, or complex narrative structure. Utilizing assets from both theDark SoulsandElden Ringuniverses and reinventing them forNightreignis an unprecedented approach to FromSoft game design and is an exciting evolution of the larger franchise, for better or worse.
“Nightreign has broken free from the restrictions that Elden Ring’s established lore created.”
Whether or not players embraceNightreign’sbranched lore and parallel reality, it will be established as part ofElden Ring’slarger canon. It remains to be seen if narrative will matter much at all to the majority ofNightreign’splayers or if the game’s storytelling approach might be more effective than the original in clarifying the specific details of its branch of lore. In a sense,Nightreignhasbroken free from the restrictionsthatElden Ring’sestablished lore created, and this allows it to be more precise, exact, and explicit with each storyline and what it adds to the larger narrative.
