Nightreign reaches 3.5 million copies, but future worries

The commercial success of Elden Ring Nightreign is undeniable: with over 3.5 million units sold since its release in June 2025, the title from FromSoftware has exceeded the initial sales targets, which estimated 2 million in the first month. The solid performance reinforces the strength of the franchise, but also raises questions about its longevity and reliance on the Soulsborne formula, which may be approaching its creative limit.

Released for PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC, Nightreign maintained the technical standard of the Japanese developer, delivering an extensive open world and challenging gameplay — pillars that have solidified the series' identity since the original Elden Ring in 2022. The new map, Nightreign, adds areas with high difficulty levels, new bosses, and exploration locations like the central castle, where players find rare Talismans and face hidden bosses, something already addressed in previous updates by the community.

However, not everything is perfect. Despite good sales, part of the critics and player base point out excessive repetition of mechanics and design, suggesting that FromSoftware may be recycling ideas without offering real evolutions in combat system, enemy AI, or narrative structure. Even with constant technical updates, such as balancing patches and performance fixes, the game does not present significant structural changes since the base title.

"FromSoftware delivers a familiar experience — perhaps too familiar," criticized one of the columnists from Game Informer website, in a review published during launch week.

The commercial strategy, however, proves to be effective. The company invested in a massive marketing campaign, combined with the established popularity of the brand, which ensured initial traction. The expectation now revolves around post-launch support. The developer has not detailed plans for DLCs or future expansions, generating uncertainties about the longevity of the content.

Nevertheless, with Nightreign ranking among the best-selling titles of 2025, FromSoftware maintains its prominent position in the AAA games scene, but will need to prove that it can reinvent its own legacy to stay relevant in the coming years.