Elden Ring Network Test Hit by Server Issues

Elden Ring Nightreign's inaugural network test – currently underway as this article publishes – is experiencing severe server problems that have blocked many players from accessing the game.

IGN staff with test access reported such extreme server instability that gameplay was impossible during the test's first hour. The issues prompted developer FromSoftware to issue a public statement acknowledging matchmaking failures due to server overload.

Limited Testing Window Adds to Frustration

The network test's restrictive schedule – five three-hour sessions between February 14-17 – compounds player frustration. Bandai Namco clarified this preliminary test aims to evaluate online system performance before the May launch.

Test participants can team up in three-player squads to battle new enemies in a dynamically changing world featuring a three-cycle day/night system. While server troubles are preferable during testing than at launch, affected players have voiced disappointment over lost gameplay opportunities.

Dark Souls Boss Poll: Who Should Appear?

Elden Ring Nightreign transforms the original game's methodical exploration into intense cooperative speedruns. The standalone expansion launches May 30, 2025 for $40 across current-gen consoles and PC.

For deeper insights, read IGN's exclusive interview with game director Junya Ishizaki about Nightreign's development.