The reveal ofElden Ring Nightreignpredictably caused a lot of excitement and discussion among fans of FromSoftware, with the upcoming project shaping up to be one of the most unique releases to come from the successful studio. As the first FromSoftware spin-off title,Nightreignpossesses some core game mechanics that go completely against the usual Soulsborne formula, although the game pays respect to past games in one key way.
A lot of the early information aboutElden Ring Nightreignhas been centered around the game’s approach to boss fights, as well as the way it heavily pushes players into multiplayer gameplay.Nightreignwill feature a wide range of bosses from previous FromSoftware titles, especially theDark Soulsfranchise, yet the studio should not be afraid to lean into bosses from other past projects to bolster its post-launch support.
The Sky is the Limit For Elden Ring Nightreign’s Future Bosses
Elden Ring Nightreignoffers a fascinating blend of traditional grueling FromSoftware combat alongside multiplayer battle-royale elements, with players being encouraged to play in groups of three for PvE exploration in a gradually shrinkingmap based onElden Ring’s Limgrave. With a focus on fast-paced replayability,Nightreignruns are centered around the survival of three day/night cycles, with each night being marked by an increasingly difficult boss battle taken straight from past FromSoftware titles.
The final task of aNightreignrun sees players face off against the Night Lord, with the successful defeat of this powerful boss granting players coveted permanent boosts that make up the bulk ofNightreign’s replayability factor.
Gameplay footage forElden Ring Nightreignhas already confirmed the appearances of past bosses like the originalDark Souls' Centipede Demon,Dark Souls 2’s The Duke’s Dear Freja, and evenDark Souls 3’s The Nameless King. As expected, a wide range ofElden Ringbosses are also confirmed for a triumphant return inNightreign, with fans once again facing off against the likes of Draconic Tree Sentinels, Godskin Nobles, Ancient Dragons, and Margit, the Fell Omen.
It has already been confirmed thatNightreignsadly will not feature bosses fromBloodborneorDemon’s Soulsdue to licensing agreements with Sony as opposed to Bandai Namco. While it is a shame that the memorable boss pools of these titles will likely never appear inElden Ring Nightreign, this clear precedent for what games are eligible for boss appearances inNightreignbegs the question of howSekiro: Shadows Die Twicebosses could fit in the upcoming game.
Sekiro Bosses in Nightreign Would Face Fewer Issues Than Bloodborne and Demon’s Souls Bosses
While it was Activision that publishedSekriofor western markets, FromSoftware still retains control over the IP, unlike its Sony-published ventures, meaning the bosses ofSekirohave the same feasibility of appearing inNightreignas those fromElden Ringand theDark Soulstrilogy. Though it might be too cluttered to feature bosses from so many different games at launch forNightreign, some well-chosenSekirobosses could make perfect post-launch additions to the title, with extrabosses already being confirmed as DLC options forNightreign.
Of course, the vast majority ofSekiro’s bosses are centered around the game’s unique parrying system which is not present in theElden Ring-inspired combat ofNightreign, but there are still a few bosses from the 2019 title that could easily translate over toNightreignwithout feeling too out of place.Sekirobosses like the Guardian Ape or Demon of Hatredcould actually fit quite well into the chaos ofNightreign’s three-player combat, providing even more variety within a title that is effectively a love letter to the distinct styles and history of FromSoftware’s many past projects.
