The past few years have been a whirlwind for FromSoftware, and a lot of this can be chalked up to theElden Ringfranchise, which has recently expanded to includeElden Ring Nightreign. The cooperative multiplayer roguelike has garnered a lot of attention fromElden Ringfans and non-fans alike, and not all of it has been positive. Indeed, much likeElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree,Elden Ring Nightreignproved to be surprisingly contentious upon release.
Granted,NightreignandShadow of the Erdtreewere still critically acclaimed, but each had a smattering of lower-than-expected scores, coupled with higher-than-expected critical feedback from audiences. These scenarios are a far cry from the days of theElden Ring’s launch, when it felt like FromSoftware had definitively achieved mainstream status and was being almost universally praised. If one didn’t know any better, they might argue that FromSoftware peaked withElden Ring, and the relatively worse receptions ofNightreignand theShadow of the ErdtreeDLC are signs of the developer’s steady decline. But there are a number of reasons to reject such notions, chief among them being each game’s startling commercial success.
Elden Ring Nightreign and Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Sold Gangbusters
Despite Mixed Reviews, Nightreign and Shadow of the Erdtree Are Wildly Popular
In less than two months on the market,Elden Ring Nightreignhas sold a whopping 5-million copies. Of course, this doesn’t seem like a lot when compared to the approximately 13-million units sold ofElden Ring’s base game during its first month, but there are some mitigating factors here. Most important to note is thatNightreignwas not intended to be as successful orprofitable asElden Ring: it was made on a smaller budget, clearly identified as a spin-off rather than a sequel, and sold at a sub-premium price point. For such a relatively modest title, 5-million units in less than two months is commendable.
It’s the same story withElden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree, which sold 10-million units in its first year. DLC sales are almost always less than base game sales, since one typically needs to own the base game to access the DLC: the pool of potential customers is smaller. Just like in the case ofNightreign, this may explain whyShadow of the Erdtreehas sold roughly 10-million copies in its first year, while theElden Ringbase game sold about 20-million copiesby this point in its lifetime.
Above all, one thing should be clear:Shadow of the ErdtreeandNightreignare commercial successesfor FromSoftware and its partners. To put the aforementioned sales figures into perspective, it tookDark Souls 3andSekiro: Shadows Die Twicefour years each to surpass the 10-million units sold mark, so bothSoTEandNightreignare at the top of FromSoftware’s bestsellers list. This is rather interesting, though, as it would seem audiences have more negative things to say aboutNightreignandSoTEthan, say,Sekiro, which is hardly ever criticized. At least, the likes ofSekiroandDark Souls3are not as fervently derided on the internet.
As such, it would seem that the fog of negative publicity has done little to hamperNightreignandShadow of the Erdtree’s popularity. Where exactly these games rank among the rest of FromSoftware’s output is a complex subject, of course, but it’s becoming clear that they are among the developer’s greatest financial successes. This could lead to a fascinating sea change at FromSoft, as the company’s most controversial games become its best-selling.
Elden Ring Nightreign
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“ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN is a standalone adventure within the ELDEN RING universe, crafted to offer players a new gaming experience by reimagining the game’s core design.Join forces with other players to take on the creeping night and the dangers within featuring 3-player co-op.Take command of uniquely skilled heroes, each possessing their own abilities and distinct flair.While individually formidable, their skills create powerful synergies when they unite as a team.Overcome a relentless environmental threat that sweeps through a land that changes between each game session and defeat the magnificent boss of that night!”
