At the time of writing, Elden Ring Nightreign’s inaugural network test is currently plagued by significant server difficulties, hindering many players from accessing the game.

IGN team members who participated in the test reported server challenges so severe that they couldn’t log in during the first hour of the event.

The problems escalated to the point where FromSoftware addressed the issues on social platforms, acknowledging that players were experiencing matchmaking struggles due to heavy server traffic. The developer extended their apologies while urging players to retry matching after some time.

Particularly, the PlayStation servers seem to be encountering issues, leading to scheduled maintenance. “The #NIGHTREIGN PlayStation servers are currently under maintenance,” FromSoftware tweeted. “Efforts are underway to restore server functionality. Additional updates will follow. We appreciate your patience and understanding.”

Compounding these challenges, the Elden Ring Nightreign network test is only available in five sessions lasting three hours each, scheduled on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and S from February 14 to February 17. Here are the current session timings:

Elden Ring Nightreign Network Test Schedule:

• February 14: 3 AM – 6 AM PT / 6 AM – 9 AM ET
• February 14: 7 PM – 10 PM PT / 10 PM – 1 AM ET
• February 15: 11 AM – 2 PM PT / 2 PM – 5 PM ET
• February 16: 3 AM – 6 AM PT / 6 AM – 9 AM ET
• February 16: 7 PM – 10 PM PT / 10 PM – 1 AM ET

According to Bandai Namco, this network test serves as a “preliminary verification exercise in which selected testers experience a portion of the game prior to its official release.”

“This extensive Network Stress Test aims to assess various aspects of the online system’s performance and efficiency. We appreciate your cooperation to enhance Elden Ring Nightreign,” the developer stated.

While it’s preferable for these server challenges to arise now rather than upon the game’s official launch in May, players who set aside time to experience the game have expressed their disappointment. Hopefully, future sessions will be more stable.

Elden Ring Nightreign is FromSoftware’s standalone cooperative spin-off, situated in a world parallel to 2022’s Elden Ring. The network test permits three players to join forces as Nightfarers, battling “new threats and exploring a dynamic map to take down increasingly formidable bosses and confront the Nightlord,” Bandai Namco elaborated, adding that players will navigate a three-day-and-night cycle they must endure.

Last year, IGN had the privilege of visiting FromSoftware to experience an early version of Elden Ring Nightreign. Our impressions highlighted that Elden Ring Nightreign “accelerates the cautious, exploratory play of Elden Ring into high-speed, adrenaline-fueled encounters.”

For additional insights, check out IGN’s interview with game director Junya Ishizaki, discussing further details about Elden Ring Nightreign.

Elden Ring Nightreign is scheduled for release on May 30, 2025, with a retail price of $40 across PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC on Steam.

Wesley serves as the UK News Editor for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter at @wyp100. Contact Wesley via email at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.