Elden Ring Nightreign Dataminers Say They’ve Uncovered an Entirely New, Ultra-Hard Game Mode

What Is This “Deep of Night” Mode?

Picture this: you’re dropped into an endless gauntlet where YOU don’t get to pick what misery is coming your way next. Instead, the game randomly throws bosses at you, and each victory ramps up the difficulty. It’s like a demented slot machine, but instead of jackpots, you’re rewarded with crushing defeat.

The dataminers revealed that this mode operates on a rating called “Depth,” which escalates every time you defeat a boss. Of course, there’s a glorious catch: lose once, and your Depth rating takes a satisfying nosedive. But hey, there’s an added wrinkle. If you manage to claw your way to Depth 2, there’s no turning back to Depth 1. It’s as if FromSoft is giving you a polite but firm, “Get good, or get out.”

Five Depths, 999 Ratings, and a Mountain of Suffering

Dataminers didn’t stop at the surface level, oh no. They dug deep into the files to uncover a structure featuring five Depths, each with a staggering 999 ratings. Think of it as a never-ending staircase of pain. For those masochists who dare climb it, the matchmaking system is designed to pair you with players at a similar Depth level. The catch? Waiting too long might drop you right into the waiting arms of someone far above your pay grade. After all, why settle for fair when you can have infuriating?

Magmafied Bosses, Relic Slots, and Weapon Shenanigans

Of course, this wouldn’t be a FromSoftware experience without adding some spicy twists to the mix. The Deep of Night mode also introduces “magmafied” bosses. Yup, just imagine your least favorite boss now sizzling with molten fury. These fire-breathing nightmares are likely stronger, deadlier, and the reason your controller ends up smashed against the wall.

To counterbalance this madness, you’ll get access to three additional relic slots exclusive to the new mode. But don’t think for a second that FromSoft will hand you easy wins. These relic upgrades reportedly come with both buffs and equally demoralizing drawbacks. Powerful new weapons? Sure. But expect their side effects to leave you questioning your life choices.

Is This What Nightreign’s Community Needed?

Now, don’t get me wrong. Elden Ring Nightreign is a brilliant piece of chaotic co-op goodness. But after a steady rotation of Everdark bosses and samey mechanics, even the most dedicated Tarnished were starting to feel that itch for something fresh. The community of ~masochists~ fans has remained active, but chatter about repetition and the lack of game mode variety has grown louder.

Deep of Night? That might be exactly the adrenaline shot Nightfarers have been craving. Something chaotic, unfair, and downright impossible? Sounds like a FromSoft masterpiece in the making to me.

What’s Next for Elden Ring Nightreign?

If Deep of Night becomes a reality, it could easily extend the shelf life of Nightreign, much like the addition of duos mode or the reveal of a new Everdark boss (looking at you, Caligo). It’s almost as if FromSoft is dangling this shiny, torturous carrot to pull old players back into the fold while tempting newcomers to see what the hype is all about. And given the fanbase’s love for punishment, this move seems like a no-brainer.

The question now is when (or if) FromSoftware will make this official. Will they fine-tune what the dataminers discovered and bundle it in a future patch or DLC? Or is this just a cruel glimpse into something that’ll forever tease us from the shadows?

Final Thoughts

At the heart of every Elden Ring experience is a balance between misery and euphoria. Deep of Night promises both in spades. The endless mode format combined with randomized bosses and escalating difficulty sounds like an ingenious recipe for sleepless nights and broken controllers.

FromSoft, you’ve done it again (maybe). But could you, at the very least, add an option to take a therapeutic coffee break mid-mode? Asking for… well, me.

Stay tuned for updates, and in the meantime, go polish your parry skills. You’re going to need them.

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