Elden Ring Nightreign has stood out even among FromSoftware’s titles for its uniquely novel gameplay style. Although its initial Steam reception was unusually low, player reviews have steadily improved, and it now carries a “Very Positive” rating. That marks a two-step rise on Steam from “Mixed” to “Positive” and finally to “Very Positive,” prompting curiosity about what drove this turnaround.

Elden Ring Nightreign is a co-op action survival spin-off released on May 30 by FromSoftware, built on the world and core mechanics of the studio’s action-adventure blockbuster Elden Ring. It features eight distinct characters, each with unique abilities, allowing teams of up to three players to explore, fight, and enjoy fast-paced action combat.

At launch, the game’s Steam user reviews were classified as “Mixed,” with just over 60 percent positive feedback—a new low for a FromSoftware release. Critics pointed to boss battles that many found even tougher than those in the main Elden Ring title; a gameplay loop quite distinct from the signature “Soulsborne” experience; persistent optimization issues that have plagued each FromSoftware PC port; and a high entry barrier, since three-player multiplayer is effectively mandatory for full progression.

Even amid the wave of negative reviews, industry observers noted that FromSoftware titles often follow a familiar trajectory on Steam. Past games like Elden Ring itself began with “Mixed” PC ratings—driven by high difficulty and early optimization woes—but climbed to “Very Positive” as players shared strategies and performance patches were issued.

As community-created guides, walkthroughs, and performance tweaks spread after launch, more players adapted to the growth systems and brutal difficulty. Once users reached a certain mastery level, matchmaking began pairing them with similarly experienced teammates, removing earlier frustrations about finding competent partners. Combined with the fresh enjoyment of the cooperative loop, Elden Ring Nightreign began to outshine even the DLC Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree in user satisfaction.

Following a peak of 310,000 concurrent players, even amidst critical buzz, the game has maintained roughly 150,000 daily peak users and consistently ranks among Steam’s top ten most-played games. Within five days of release, FromSoftware sold 3.5 million copies. The studio plans to expand the world further with ongoing patches, the addition of duo-play, and future DLC offerings.