Marathon and Elden Ring Nightreign have a common problem: the solo experience is way worse, and I can't help but think nailing your game to teams of 3 is a mistake in 2025

Published: Friday, May 30, 2025 at 6:00 pm

Elden Ring Nightreign and Marathon: Why Team-Focused Gameplay Might Be a Mistake

A recent article from GamesRadar+ dives into the challenges of team-focused gameplay in the upcoming games *Elden Ring Nightreign* and *Marathon*. The author argues that both titles, designed primarily for teams of three, suffer from a significantly worse solo experience.

While *Elden Ring Nightreign* is playable solo, the experience is described as "miserable" compared to playing with friends. The article highlights the difficulties in coordinating abilities, sharing loot, and managing enemy aggro when playing alone. The author notes that the game's reliance on players finding two friends to play with feels like a misstep, especially given the challenges of coordinating schedules and the lack of in-game communication and crossplay.

The article also points out similar issues in the *Marathon* alpha, where the solo experience is described as "unplayable." The author suggests that the lack of solo or duo options, combined with the absence of proximity chat, could hinder the game's success.

The author acknowledges that both games offer matchmaking, but it's not enough. They advocate for better multiplayer systems that bridge the gap between playing with friends and random teammates. They suggest features like duo balancing, crossplay, in-game chat, and smarter pings could significantly improve the average player experience. While *Elden Ring Nightreign* is already planning a patch to improve the solo experience, the author hopes for more improvements to make the game more fun on average.

Keywords: Elden Ring Nightreign, Marathon, multiplayer, solo experience, team-based gameplay, matchmaking, co-op, FromSoftware, Bungie, extraction shooter, action RPG, gaming, video games, crossplay, in-game chat.

Full Story