The Elden Ring: Nightreign release is almost upon us. FromSoftware’s new release is a peculiar roguelike twist on the traditional Elden Ring format, but that’s part of what makes the Elden Ring: Nightreign release such an exciting one – it’s the first time we’ll get to see how a multiplayer-first spin on the classic soulslike formula will play out.

Click here for the exact Elden Ring: Nightreign release times in your region for both console and PC.

We’ll be running this live blog through the Elden Ring: Nightreign release later today and beyond, bringing the latest new through the launch weekend as more and more players get stuck in.

First things first: What exactly is Elden Ring: Nightreign? It might sound like a silly question this close to launch, but it’s worth acknowledging that this is going to feel like a very different game, even for those of us who’ve played multiple FromSoftware games in the past. That’s because Nightreign is a multiplayer-focused, roguelike twist on the traditional soulslike formula that the studio is best known for.

That does mean that you’ll be dealing with extremely punishing combat, massive boss fights, and probably plenty of dodge-rolling. What it also means, however, is that you’ll probably want to be playing with two friends – Nightreign is a three-player game, and while it can be played solo (if you’re looking for a real punishment), it doesn’t support two-player squads at the moment.

It’s also permadeath – if your whole team is wiped at any point during its three-day cycle, you’ll be starting from scratch, all the way from the beginning. And when I say ‘the beginning’, I meant it – you’ll be right back to the character select screen, and any loot you gathered on your previous attempt will be lost.

That’s where Nightreign’s final twist comes from. At the start of each game, you’ll be seeking out the best loot you can find, running through the map to develop a new build on the fly every time. That’s a staple of the roguelike genre, but it’s also got a touch of the battle royale to it, especially when you discover that the map shrinks over time, pushing you towards Nightreign’s final showdown at the end of its third in-game day. It’s only if you can beat that final boss that you’ll be declared victorious, and you’ll have to do it on your first try – remember, if you wipe, you’re starting from scratch, and who knows how long it’ll be before you reach that particular boss again?

To give you a slightly better sense of what that actually looks like, you can check out the reveal trailer at the top of the blog, from Elden Ring: Nightreign’s original announcement. However, if you want an even closer look, it’s worth checking out FromSoft’s official Nightreign launch trailer, which dropped yesterday to herald the upcoming release.

I’m able to give something of an inside track on how Elden Ring: Nightreign is likely to feel, because press have had their hands on the game over the past couple of weeks. If you want to get a full run-down of exactly what we thought, you can check out our Elden Ring: Nightreign review, in which Will Sawyer scored the game 3.5 stars out of a possible five.

For a little more detail right here and now, here’s how Will summed up: