Elden Ring Nightreign Countdown: Two Conflicting Dates And What The 'Roguelike' Standalone Game Actually Is

The digital clock is ticking, but no one can agree on the final hour. As of today, December 17, 2025, the gaming community is in a frenzy over the rumored new FromSoftware project, Elden Ring Nightreign, with countdown timers pointing to two completely different release dates in 2025. This supposed follow-up to the monumental success of Shadow of the Erdtree is not a traditional DLC, but a highly ambitious, standalone adventure that re-contextualizes the world of the Lands Between, sparking intense debate and curiosity among the Tarnished faithful.

The confusion surrounding the Elden Ring Nightreign countdown stems from conflicting reports—some pointing to a late spring launch, while others suggest a late-year holiday release. This article cuts through the noise to detail exactly what Nightreign is rumored to be, why it’s generating so much buzz, and the two major countdown dates you need to track for the potential next chapter in the Elden Ring saga.

The Great Nightreign Release Date Mystery: May vs. December 2025

The primary source of confusion for the Elden Ring Nightreign countdown is the existence of two distinct and widely circulated release dates, both claiming legitimacy from various international sources and countdown aggregators. Fans are currently split between an early arrival and a late-year launch for this highly anticipated title.

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The May 30, 2025 Countdown Theory

Multiple high-traffic gaming countdown sites and early speculative reports have fixed the release date for Elden Ring Nightreign as May 30, 2025, often specifying a midnight EDT launch time for PC, PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S platforms. This date suggests a rapid development cycle, capitalizing on the massive success and critical acclaim of the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, which solidified Elden Ring’s place as a modern gaming masterpiece.

• The Argument for May: A mid-year release would align with a strategy to maintain momentum and fill the gap before other major holiday releases. It hints that the project, possibly a smaller-scale, experimental title, is already nearing completion.
• The Release Time: The specified time of midnight EDT is a common global release standard for major Bandai Namco Entertainment titles, lending an air of credibility to this initial countdown.

The December 4, 2025 Countdown Theory

Conversely, a more recent, and arguably more substantial, wave of information—including what appears to be a promotional post from a Japanese FromSoftware channel and a Steam listing—points to a release date of December 4, 2025. This date is associated with the official subtitle: ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN: The Forsaken Hollows.

• The Argument for December: A late-year release allows for a full-scale marketing push, positioning Nightreign as a major holiday title. The association with the full subtitle The Forsaken Hollows and a specific mention of a December 2025 availability on Steam suggests a more concrete, official announcement.
• The Context: This date places the game within the Fiscal Year 2025 (FY2025) window that FromSoftware’s parent company was rumored to have planned for their next major Elden Ring-related project.

Until an unequivocal, unified announcement is made by FromSoftware or Bandai Namco, the community remains in limbo, with the countdown clock serving as a source of both excitement and frustration.

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What is Elden Ring Nightreign? A Standalone Roguelike ARPG

Perhaps the most intriguing aspect of the Nightreign rumors is the alleged shift in genre and structure. Unlike the main game or the traditional open-world expansion of Shadow of the Erdtree, Elden Ring Nightreign is heavily rumored to be a standalone Action Role-Playing Game (ARPG) with strong roguelike elements.

This is a significant departure from the established Souls-like formula and suggests Hidetaka Miyazaki’s team is exploring new design spaces within the rich lore of the Lands Between. The game is described as a non-customizable experience where players start as one of eight pre-made characters, such as a Guardian or Recluse, and face procedural dungeons and permadeath mechanics.

Bending the Lore and The Forsaken Hollows

The narrative premise of Nightreign is equally compelling. Lore enthusiasts suggest that the game will explore an alternate history of the Lands Between, forking off from a pivotal moment in the timeline to show a "what if" scenario. The title itself, Nightreign, has a fascinating connection to the lore; in Japanese, the name is reportedly related to "tree cutting" or the concept of severing ties with the Erdtree.

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This suggests a focus on the ancient roots of the world, possibly exploring the fate of tribes or individuals who opposed the influence of the Greater Will and the Erdtree’s golden light. The subtitle, The Forsaken Hollows, reinforces this idea, pointing to unexplored, forgotten, or intentionally hidden areas of the world—perfect for a challenging, replayable roguelike structure.

Key Features of the Rumored Nightreign Game

The leaked and rumored details paint a picture of a game designed for high replayability and a different kind of challenge than the main Elden Ring experience:

• Roguelike Structure: Expect procedural generation, powerful run-based upgrades, and permadeath, forcing players to master combat fundamentals and resource management.
• Pre-Made Characters: No custom Tarnished. Players select from a roster of distinct heroes, each with unique starting stats, weapons, and abilities.
• Co-op Experience: The game is rumored to feature a robust co-op mode, allowing players to tackle the challenging dungeons of The Forsaken Hollows with friends.
• Standalone Title: Crucially, you will not need to own the base Elden Ring game to play Nightreign, making it accessible to a wider audience interested in the roguelike genre.

The Context of Elden Ring’s Continued Success

The rumors of Nightreign come on the heels of the massive success of the first major expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree. The DLC was universally praised for its vast new map, challenging bosses, and deep dive into the lore of Miquella and the Land of Shadow. The continued development of new content, whether a traditional expansion or a standalone roguelike, demonstrates FromSoftware’s commitment to building a comprehensive franchise around the Elden Ring IP.

The existence of two major projects—a traditional DLC (Shadow of the Erdtree) and a rumored genre-bending standalone (Nightreign)—shows a strategic effort by Bandai Namco to maximize the potential of the game. For fans, this means the wait for the next major content drop is filled with speculation about whether they should prepare for a May 2025 challenge or a December 2025 holiday adventure. Keep an eye on official channels for the final, definitive word on the Elden Ring Nightreign countdown.