Nightreign's Director Shares Miyazaki-Inspired Lessons from Elden Ring

If you're a fan of the *Elden Ring* universe, you’ve probably heard of *Nightreign*, the upcoming cooperative multiplayer experience set in the same world. Developed under the guidance of Hidetaka Miyazaki, the directorial torch was passed to Junya Ishizaki for this project. During my visit to FromSoftware’s headquarters in Japan, I sat down with Ishizaki-san to discuss his journey as the director, delve into the unique design choices that *Nightreign* brings to the table, and uncover the origins of this Elden Ring spin-off.

**In a previous interview, you mentioned bringing the idea for *Nightreign* to Miyazaki-san, who gave you the green light. How closely aligned was the initial pitch with the final product, and did anything change during development?**

Junya Ishizaki - Director of Elden Ring: Nightreign: The core concept remained largely unchanged from our initial pitch to Miyazaki-san, but throughout development, we received valuable input from various team members. Their ideas and concerns helped us enhance the game in ways that exceeded our original vision. Regarding advice from Miyazaki and other directors at FromSoftware, one piece of wisdom stuck with me: “A director shouldn’t hold back.” This mindset pushed me to be more critical and disciplined, ensuring every decision benefited the project as a whole.

In terms of feedback, we conducted a Closed Network Test. Could you share how that influenced the development of Nightreign and what lessons you learned from players’ experiences?

Of course, balancing gameplay was a major focus. Tweaking difficulty and addressing user feedback are constant challenges in these types of games. We’re still refining these aspects, but it was fascinating to observe player behavior and gather insights on how they interacted with the systems. Nightreign introduces several new rules and mechanics, so it was crucial to assess player reactions and refine the onboarding process to ensure a smoother introduction to these features.

**Taking the reins as director must have been quite the experience. Did Miyazaki or any other directors offer advice on how to approach directing a video game?**

As director, my mindset was clear: I had to pour my heart into this project. Since I proposed the idea, I was deeply invested in seeing it through. However, I quickly realized that I needed the determination to push through challenges.

Regarding advice, the directive to “not hold back” resonated deeply. On a daily basis, I became more critical of my work, applying stricter discipline to ensure every decision served the project’s goals. This approach made me more accountable and pushed me to make better choices.

Switching gears slightly, you mentioned earlier that Nightreign can only be played solo or in groups of three. Why isn’t there an option for just two players to join a match together?

This oversight occurred during development, as a two-player mode wasn’t prioritized. We sincerely apologize for this limitation. Our primary goal was to create a multiplayer co-op experience optimized for three players, which remains central to Nightreign. While I personally understand the desire for flexibility, we focused our efforts on creating a seamless solo and three-player experience. Although we did consider duos, this aspect fell through the cracks, but we’re evaluating post-launch updates to address it.

**Shifting focus to the solo experience, how does the game scale difficulty for single players? Are there any unique elements when playing alone versus in a squad?**

Given the game’s design revolves around three players, we recognize the concerns of solo players. In Nightreign, you’ll often act independently, even within a group of three. Players explore different areas, collect resources, and regroup for boss encounters. Solo play is integral to the gameplay loop, but we’ve adjusted enemy aggression toward lone players to prevent unfair confrontations. Additionally, game parameters dynamically adjust based on the number of players in a session, offering a more balanced experience.

Solo players won’t have teammates to revive them, making the experience inherently more challenging. To compensate, we’ve included a self-revive mechanic scattered across the map, giving players more opportunities to learn boss patterns and strategies without restarting entirely.

Let’s talk about the story of Nightreign. How does it fit into the lore of Elden Ring?

Nightreign shares the same world and foundation as Elden Ring, but unfolds on a separate stage. Introducing the concept of the Night Lord—a calamitous force that has befallen the lands—players assume the role of Nightfarers, warriors tasked with opposing and defeating this phenomenon. Unlike the main game, this narrative spans diverse characters from different eras and cultures, each driven by personal goals and motivations. We hope players enjoy uncovering these backstories and forming connections with the characters.

**One intriguing aspect is the story unfolding through individual character arcs rather than a linear narrative. What inspired this approach?**

As mentioned earlier, the Night Lord’s calamity brings together Nightfarers from various backgrounds. While their shared mission is to defeat the Night Lord, their personal journeys and struggles remain central. Each character has distinct objectives and emotional arcs, providing depth and variety. We aim for players to explore and connect with these narratives, discovering favorites among the cast.

**FromSoftware games are known for their PvP elements, but *Nightreign* focuses on co-op. Was PvP ever considered, such as allowing squads to invade each other’s worlds?**

PVP wasn’t a priority for Nightreign. Our focus was on crafting a cohesive co-op experience for three players. Balancing character abilities and actions for both PVE and PVP proved challenging and detracted from our original vision. We wanted to maintain the integrity of each character’s design and ensure a seamless co-op experience, so PVP wasn’t explored.

Shifting to balance, how did your approach differ from a single-player-focused game like Elden Ring, which also includes PvP elements?

For Nightreign, we tailored the experience specifically for groups of three. Ensuring fun gameplay in a trio was key, but we also accounted for solo players. New character abilities and boss designs were balanced for all modes—solo, duo, and trio. For instance, Gladius, the boss you encountered, was meticulously tuned for each scenario. This approach ensured a dynamic and engaging experience regardless of group size.

**The bosses in *Nightreign* seem notably tougher than those in *Elden Ring*. How did you determine the right difficulty level?**

With the three-day/night cycle structure, we aimed for boss fights to encapsulate the skills players develop over that period. The bosses are intentionally imposing, requiring strategy and learning. By the end of the cycle, players should feel confident in overcoming them. This balance ensures a thrilling yet fair experience.