You might've heard it said—probably on this website—that PC gaming won the console war, that we've got it so good that other bricks are obsolete. And while I still believe those things are true, being a writer here and having the requisite amount of pride, I'm not afraid to admit that this recent blow stings. FromSoftware's co-op roguelike spinoff Elden Ring: Nightreign is having a network test, and PC players aren't invited.
As someone who doesn't even own a TV, let alone a console, I'm trying to be totally normal about it. In fact, I'm happy for my colleagues who own PS5s and the Xbox Series X|S, the only two platforms Bandai Namco has made worthy of its audience's presence. I am not, no matter what you might think, clenching my fist and rueing my past financial decisions.
As per a press release, the [[link]] test—which I'm not invited to—will take place via five limited sessions between February 14 and February 17. In case you happen to own a console (I'm so happy for you) you can find a list of the exact play sessions, which each last three hours, below:
- February 14: 3 am PST - 6 am PST / 11 am GMT - 2 pm GMT
- February 15: 7 pm PST - 10 pm PST / 3 am GMT - 6 am GMT
- February 16: 11 am PST - 2 pm PST / 7 pm GMT - 10 pm GMT
- February 16: 3 am PST - 6 am PST / 11 am GMT - 2 pm GMT
- February 17: 7 pm PST - 10 pm PST / 3 am GMT - 6 am GMT
To enter, you'll need to create a Bandai Namco account and sign up on the official website. As per the general rules, you'll need to sign a form (the site'll tell you once you're successfully registered), upon which you may be selected from a pool of 97,923 winners to get your hands on Nightreign [[link]] early. There are a smaller amount of winners for the Xbox Series X|S (12,898) than the PS5 (85,025). If you've got an Xbox, though, you have [[link]] better chances than my odds of zero.
Oh, and it's first come, first served, so get to it. If you win, you'll get notified on January 30.