Ah, the joys of a FromSoftware network test. You sign in, brace yourself for a gruelling challenge, and then… get completely obliterated. Usually by a boss. This time, however, it was the servers doing the slaughtering.

The highly anticipated beta for Elden Ring Nightreign—FromSoftware’s roguelike spin on its 2022 Game of the Year—was supposed to be a thrilling early taste of what’s to come ahead of its 30 May release. Instead, it was an absolute disaster. The test, which kicked off on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, lasted about an hour before everything collapsed into chaos. Players were met with error messages, booted from the game mid-run, or left staring at the main menu like a Tarnished locked out of the Lands Between.

FromSoftware scrambled to fix things, restarting servers and conducting emergency maintenance. It didn’t help. The test session ultimately ended with a rather apologetic post from the developers:

“The first session of the Elden Ring Nightreign Network Test has ended. We apologise for the inconvenience caused by the game server issues. Work is currently ongoing to improve the stability of the Network Test. An additional Network Test session is being considered. Thank you.”

Considering Nightreign’s beta was already running on an incredibly restrictive schedule—limited to just a few three-hour play windows—this meltdown was particularly frustrating. Unlike most betas, which give players full-day access, Nightreign’s test was structured like a stingy uncle handing out sweets: five short time slots, with only two being at all reasonable for European players.

Naturally, the Elden Ring subreddit became a warzone of complaints, memes, and despair, with some players noting the irony of a server test doing exactly what it was meant to—expose technical failures. But while that’s all well and good, it doesn’t make the whole experience any less annoying for those who just wanted to try the game without wrestling with a login screen.

In a rare moment of mercy, FromSoftware ultimately caved and announced an extra network test to make up for the carnage. The new session is set for 15 February at 8 a.m. JST / 12 p.m. CET / 3 a.m. PT, giving players another shot at actually playing instead of just reconnecting.

Despite all this, Elden Ring Nightreign still looks incredibly promising—if you like the idea of an action-packed roguelike with Elden Ring’s combat, bosses, and brutal difficulty. It’s shaping up to be one of the best games of the year—provided the servers hold up.

Preorders are now available for Xbox Series X | S, Xbox One, PS5, PS4, and PC, with a price tag of RM119.00—RM80.00 cheaper than the original Elden Ring. Whether or not it’ll work at launch? Well, that’s another story.