The launch Steam player count forElden Ring Nightreignis outstanding, despite the game’s mixed reception, but it still doesn’t compare toElden Ring’s early numbers.Elden Ring Nightreignwas released today, so it is seeing a lot of day-one traffic, with a lot of fans excited to grab two friends, choose their favorite Nightfarer, and take on powerful bosses. Thegame’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 toSteamDB, the all-time peak player count forElden Ring Nightreignis currently sitting at over 313,000 players. While impressive, especially on day one, the player count is roughly a third of whatElden Ringmanaged to achieve, with its player data fromSteamDBhaving the max player count at over 950,000 (viaVGC).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 sinceElden 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 thethree-player co-op focusof the game, with the core of the game being focused on teaming up with friends.
Still,it’s hard not to compareNightreign’s launch to the game it was based on, and by that comparison, the game isn’t doing as well. Theplayer reactions toNightreignhave 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 Ringwas 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 thewidely successfulShadow of the Erdtreeexpansion.Elden Ringhas been on fans' minds since the game’s initial release, butNightreignis definitely picking up less tractionthan 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 Nightreignhas 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.
Source: SteamDB (1), (2),VGC
