Elden Ring Nightreign's Player Count Is Impressive, But It's Nowhere Close To Elden Ring's Launch Numbers In 2022

Published 6 days ago

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The launch Steam player count forgame's review scores have been contentious, with some critics not happy with the current balancing and offerings of the game, but that's not stopping the game from doing well, at least on Steam.

According to SteamDB, the all-time peak player count for Elden Ring Nightreign is currently sitting at over 313,000 players. While impressive, especially on day one, the player count is roughly a third of what Elden Ring managed to achieve, with its player data from SteamDB having the max player count at over 950,000 (via VGC). Nightreign's player count has dropped since the initial release, but will probably rise again this weekend.

Nightreign Has Over 300,000 Players On Steam At Launch

It's A Massive Release For FromSoftware

As a multiplayer spin-off and FromSoftware's first game since Elden Ring, which many consider one of the greatest games ever made, the game is doing quite well, especially on day one. The game's high player count could be attributed to a few factors. One of the big ones is that this game has "Elden Ring" in the title, and that game may have forever changed the way fans look at Soulslikes and RPGs for the better. A second one is the three-player co-op focus of the game, with the core of the game being focused on teaming up with friends.

This Elden Ring Nightreign Oversight Makes Me Worried About FromSoft's Future

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Still, it's hard not to compare Nightreign's launch to the game it was based on, and by that comparison, the game isn't doing as well. The player reactions to Nightreign have been mixed, with many feeling the game's solo mode is too difficult and also noting the lack of a two-player mode. Some fans are also expressing general frustration at the multiplayer focus of the title, instead of the traditional single-player RPG experience that FromSoftware is known for.

How Nightreign's Player Count Compares To Elden Ring's At Launch

A Definite Drop-Off

Elden Ring was marketed and hyped up by fans as the first open-world Soulslike, and it went on to become one of the most successful games ever when it released in 2022. In 2024, it drew attention again with the widely successful Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. Elden Ring has been on fans' minds since the game's initial release, but Nightreign is definitely picking up less traction than the original game.

With a substantial player count that's currently a fraction of what the original game had near its launch, Nightreign's dependence on a multiplayer community is in a solid position right now, but whether it will maintain or grow its player base remains to be seen. Elden Ring Nightreign has a lot to offer hardcore Soulslike fans, but the multiplayer focus doesn't seem to be appealing to as broad a group. Only time will tell if the game manages to adapt and bring more people to it.