Elden Ring Nightreign’s First Network Test Ends in Disaster as Servers Fail
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- Elden Ring Nightreign’s first public network test on February 14 was plagued by severe server failures, preventing most players from logging in.
- FromSoftware acknowledged the issues and attempted server restarts, but connectivity problems persisted, especially for PS5 users.
- With multiplayer as the game’s core feature, the disastrous test raises concerns about the game’s online stability ahead of its May 30 launch.
The first public network test for Elden Ring: Nightreign launched on February 14, but widespread server failures have prevented many players from accessing the game. The issues, which persisted despite multiple server restart attempts, have raised concerns about the stability of the online co-op experience—especially given that Nightreign is designed entirely around multiplayer gameplay.
The network test, running in limited three-hour windows from February 14 to 17, was meant to give select players a first look at Nightreign, FromSoftware’s standalone cooperative spin-off of Elden Ring. However, instead of diving into battles alongside fellow “Nightfarers,” many participants were met with a recurring “failed to log in to the game server” error message. Some who managed to connect were swiftly kicked back to the main menu, and Twitch streams of the test were flooded with footage of error screens rather than actual gameplay.
FromSoftware quickly acknowledged the issues, posting multiple statements on X. “We are currently restarting the ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN game server. We will provide an update once the restart is complete. We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to our players,” the developers posted, instructing players to log out.
Despite these efforts, the problems persisted throughout the test’s first session, particularly for PlayStation 5 users. The official Elden Ring account later confirmed that Nightreign’s PlayStation servers were undergoing maintenance, with no estimated time for a resolution.
Nightreign’s server instability is a significant issue due to its reliance on cooperative gameplay. Unlike the original Elden Ring, which supported both solo and online play, Nightreign requires three-player teams to progress through its procedurally generated world. With stable online connectivity being essential, the failed test raises doubts about the game’s readiness ahead of its full launch on May 30, 2025.
The remaining network test sessions are scheduled as follows:
• February 15: 4am-7am CET / 7pm-10pm PT
• February 15: 8pm-11pm CET / 11am-2pm PT
• February 16: 12pm-3pm CET / 3am-6am PT
• February 17: 4am-7am CET / 7pm-10pm PT
