Elden Ring Nightreign ignores doubles at launch

Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree – Nightreign, the highly anticipated expansion of the acclaimed action RPG from FromSoftware, will be released with a focus on cooperative mode for three players, leaving aside a considerable part of the player base that prefers to play in pairs. In an interview with IGN, director Junya Ishizaki acknowledged that the experience in pairs was "kind of neglected" during development.

"That was simply something we overlooked during development, so we apologize," said Ishizaki, making it clear that the choice was not due to technical limitations, but rather design and prioritization.

The content of the expansion has been completely balanced for trios, including enemies, bosses, and exploration pace. According to the director, the game was conceived from the beginning with this cooperative structure, which directly influences the central elements of gameplay. However, those who choose the solo mode will have access to an automatic revive system, described as a "limited lifesaver".

In solo mode, this system is activated during exploration and aims to mitigate the difficulty of the solo experience, without altering the central challenge characteristic of Elden Ring. In cooperative modes, players can freely separate across the map, creating moments of solo combat even in matchmaking matches - a factor that, according to the director, provides more tactical freedom for players.

For fans who were hoping for a mode dedicated to two players, there is a possibility on the horizon. Ishizaki mentioned that the team is "considering support for pairs post-launch", depending on the reception and feedback from the community. For now, the only confirmation is that the expansion will include new characters, bosses, and biomes, but without specific adaptations for pairs in the initial release.

It is worth mentioning that Elden Ring, originally released in 2022, was one of FromSoftware's biggest successes, surpassing 20 million copies sold. The game received several awards and its open-world formula was widely praised, emphasizing challenge and freedom of exploration. The expansion Shadow of the Erdtree: Nightreign is one of the most anticipated contents of the year, set to premiere on June 21, 2024, available for PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X|S, and PC.

Meanwhile, the expectation for a more flexible gameplay mode continues among the community's requests. The absence of native support for pairs at launch, although disappointing for some players, may still be reversed with future updates - if FromSoftware chooses to address this overlooked segment in the initial design.