Elden Ring: Nightreign isn't live service, will be a full complete game at launch

Elden Ring's new Nightreign spin-off might be a squad-based roguelike with emphasis on multiplayer, but don't expect to see a bunch of battle passes show up.

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In a sea of billion-dollar games-as-a-service titans, FromSoftware is bucking the trends for online games. The developer's new Elden Ring: Nightreign multiplayer game won't have monetized battle passes or microtransactions. Instead, FromSoft is taking the old-school approach of delivering a full experience at launch rather than carving up in-game content and selling it across seasons.

In a recent interview with PC Gamer, Nightreign game director Junya Ishizaki (yes, Miyazaki is not directing Nightreign) outlined this no-nonsense approach:

"With Nightreign, we wanted to have a game that felt like a complete package out of the box on the day of purchase. So everything is unlockable, everything is contained with that purchase," Ishizaki said.

"It's not what we'd consider a 'live service' game.'"

Unlike the best-selling Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, Nightreign will not require the original Elden Ring game in order to play. It'll be a standalone multiplayer co-op experience that you can play solo, and it will also cost the same as Shadow of the Erdtree and not be priced as a full $70 game.

As for post-release content itself, FromSoftware is more focused on getting Nightreign out the door and then tweaking the game over time with updates, fixes, and balances. New expansions, gear, bosses, etc could happen, but the studio isn't making any commitments.

The future of the Elden Ring franchise remains bright as FromSoftware, its parent company Kadokawa, and publisher Bandai Namco benefit from continued sales of the landmark RPG epic and its mega-hit expansion.