Elden Ring Nightreign’s Two-Player Mode ‘Overlooked’: A Post-Launch Fix?
Elden Ring Nightreign, the upcoming expansion to the acclaimed Elden Ring, initially generated excitement for its multiplayer focus. However, a crucial omission has left some players scratching their heads: the lack of a dedicated two-player mode. While the game is designed for three-player squads and offers solo play, the absence of a balanced experience for duos was, according to the developers, simply "overlooked."
The core concept of Nightreign revolves around teams of three venturing into maps, defeating bosses for XP and loot across three in-game nights before confronting a formidable Nightlord. Solo play is also accommodated, with adjustments to enemy aggressiveness and the inclusion of a self-revive feature. But what about players who want to team up with just one friend?
In an interview with IGN, Elden Ring Nightreign director Junya Ishizaki addressed the issue, stating, "The simple answer is that this is simply something that was overlooked during development as just a two-player option, so we're very sorry about that." He explained that the primary focus was on creating a balanced co-op experience for three players and a viable solo mode. "In putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well."
This omission is particularly surprising, given that most modern games allow players to opt-out of filling empty slots in their squad, allowing for a duo experience. The challenge, according to Ishizaki, lies in balancing the game for two players. Simply applying the three-player or solo balance may not work effectively, requiring a distinct design approach.
He further elaborated that the solo experience is dynamically adjusted, with enemies being less aggressive. The game also grants the solo player a self-revive option as they do not have teammates to rely on.
Addressing balance concerns, Ishizaki told IGN: "We are trying to cater to a fun experience with three people. So making sure the experience is fun at its core with a group of three, but it also doesn't collapse if it's a solo player as well… in putting all our efforts into that aspect, we kind of overlooked and neglected the duos aspect, but this is something that we are looking at and considering for post-launch support as well."
While Nightreign isn't planned as a traditional "live" game, the possibility of adding new features, including a dedicated two-player mode, remains open. Players eager to team up with a single friend may have to wait for a post-launch update.
The admission that a two-player mode was "overlooked" raises questions about the development priorities and resource allocation. Will FromSoftware deliver a satisfying two-player experience in a future update? Sound off in the comments below!
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Can you play Elden Ring Nightreign with two people?
'As we said before, we set out to make this a multiplayer co-op game for three players, balanced for three players, so that was the main focus and it's at the core of Nightreign.'
Can you play Nightreign with two people?
Elden Ring Nightreign is designed around three-player squads, but solo play is possible. (Whether it's enjoyable going solo remains to be seen.) But support for duos isn't part of the plan and won't be available when the game launches next week.
