Where to Start With Elden Ring in 2026: Base Game, Erdtree or Nightreign

Elden Ring now spans three separate purchases: the 2022 original, the 2024 Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and the 2025 spinoff Nightreign. They don’t all work the same way, so this is how they fit together, using official details and US prices.

Start with the base game

Elden Ring is FromSoftware’s open-world action RPG set in the Lands Between, with a founding mythology written by George R. R. Martin. It launched on February 25, 2022 and was named Game of the Year at The Game Awards 2022.

The base game alone costs $59.99 on Steam in the US. Bundles that add the expansion are in the price table at the end.

Save Shadow of the Erdtree for later

The expansion isn’t a separate starting point, because it requires the base game. Bandai Namco’s guide gives the route into the Realm of Shadow:

1. Defeat Starscourge Radahn and Mohg, Lord of Blood.
2. Touch the arm hanging from the cocoon in the Mohgwyn Dynasty Mausoleum to enter.

Once you’re there, Scadutree Fragments and Revered Spirit Ashes strengthen you and your spirit summons, but only inside that realm.

Nightreign is its own game

Elden Ring Nightreign is a standalone co-op survival game released on May 30, 2025. Each expedition drops you into Limveld, which changes from run to run, and you survive each day before facing a final boss on the third.

It’s built for three players, but a July 2025 patch added two-player expeditions, and solo play is supported.

What each purchase costs

If you want the full story, we suggest starting with Elden Ring. If you want shorter sessions with friends, Nightreign works without it.