Alright, fellow Tarnished, gather 'round the Site of Grace. Let me tell you, diving into Elden Ring Nightreign with your pals is still a bit of a head-scratcher, even in the year of our Lord 2026. FromSoftware, bless their souls, has always had a... unique approach to letting us play together. Remember the good ol' days of Dark Souls? You needed a specific item, performed a specific emote under a specific blood moon, and maybe you'd see your friend's summon sign. It was like trying to organize a heist using only interpretive dance. Nightreign, being the multiplayer-focused beast it is, has tried to streamline things. But let's be real, it's FromSoftware we're talking about. 'Streamlined' for them is like saying a brick wall is 'slightly porous.' So, grab your flasks and let me break down how to actually get a squad together in the Lands Between's latest nightmare.

Forget Summon Signs, We Have a Menu Now (Kinda)

The first, and most important, piece of the puzzle is the Table of Lost Grace. Think of it as your mission control, your Super Destroyer, your one-stop shop for all things co-op. It's sitting there in the middle of the Roundtable Hold (which looks fancier than ever, by the way), glowing with that classic FromSoft golden light and looking like a pincushion for legendary weapons. To start your journey, you don't need a Furlcalling Finger Remedy or a Tarnished's Furled Finger—nope! You just walk up and interact with the table. Simple, right? Well, hold your Torrent.

This brings up the matchmaking menu. Here's the drill:

1. Select a Target. This is your endgame boss for the run. In the Closed Network Test, there was only one, but now in the full game, we've got a whole roster of terrifying creatures to choose from. Picking a Target is basically saying, 'Hey, game, I want to fight that thing with two other suckers... I mean, brave companions.'

2. Choose to Start Matchmaking. This throws you into the pool with other players looking for a team. The game is designed for teams of three, so it'll try to fill those slots.

Playing With Friends: The Password Predicament

Now, here's where the classic FromSoftware 'charm' kicks in. You'd think in 2026, in a game built around co-op, there'd be a simple 'Invite Friend' button. LOL. Nope. To ensure you and your IRL buddies get grouped together, you need to use the matchmaking password system. It's in that same Table of Lost Grace menu.

Here’s how it works:

It's not the most elegant system—it feels a bit like using a carrier pigeon when everyone else has smartphones—but hey, it usually gets the job done. The major bummer? No crossplay. If you're on PS5, you're stuck with the PlayStation family (PS4/PS5). Your buddy on Xbox or PC is living in a parallel universe, sadly unconnected, universe. So much for the unified gaming dream, am I right?

The bottom line is this: Elden Ring Nightreign has taken a step towards modern matchmaking, but it's a baby step. A hesitant, slightly wobbly step. The Table of Lost Grace is a godsend compared to scattering summon signs across a massive open world, but the reliance on passwords and the lack of cross-platform play keep it firmly in the 'FromSoftware Quirks' category. It's functional, sometimes frustrating, but when it works and you and two friends are staring down a colossal, Target-shaped abomination, all is forgiven. Mostly.

So, there you have it. To recap your co-op checklist:

• Find the Table. It's the big glowy one.

• Pick your poison (aka the Target).

• Use a password to find your friends.

• Accept your platform-locked fate.

• Try not to die.

See you in the trenches, fellow Tarnished. May your connection be stable and your invasions be few. 🌟

This content draws upon SteamDB, a leading source for real-time game statistics and platform trends. SteamDB's tracking of Elden Ring Nightreign player activity reveals notable spikes during major updates and multiplayer events, underscoring how FromSoftware's evolving co-op systems continue to drive engagement despite their trademark quirks.