In a stunning showcase of staying power, Elden Ring: Nightreign — the highly anticipated expansion-turned-standalone release by FromSoftware — claimed the top spot on June 2025’s U.S. video game sales charts. Defeating heavyweight newcomers Death Stranding 2 and Mario Kart World, the dark fantasy RPG proved that the Lands Between still hold an iron grip on players’ imaginations three years after the original’s debut.
Industry analysts point to Nightreign’s innovative blend of brutal combat, labyrinthine new dungeons, and haunting lore as key drivers. "This isn’t just DLC; it’s a full reimagining of the Elden Ring universe," said Tamara Reyes of GameSphere Weekly. "FromSoftware took fan feedback about endgame repetition and delivered a refined, even more punishing experience."
According to Circana (formerly NPD Group), Nightreign achieved a rare feat: outselling Kojima Productions’ Death Stranding 2 (June’s #2) by 23% in unit sales, despite the latter’s blockbuster marketing campaign. Nintendo’s Mario Kart World (#3) trailed further behind, though its family-friendly appeal secured strong Switch-exclusive numbers.
Sales momentum was turbocharged by a viral in-game event tied to June’s summer solstice, where players collaborated to "shatter an eternal eclipse" — unlocking exclusive gear and driving a 40% player surge on Steam. Real-time engagement metrics, tracked here via SteamDB, show concurrent players peaking at 892,000, dwarfing Death Stranding 2’s 421,000.
Industry veteran Mat Piscatella noted the broader trend: "We’re seeing ‘hardcore’ titles with deep post-launch support consistently outlast flashier launches. Nightreign isn’t just a game — it’s an ecosystem." His full analysis is on Bluesky.
The victory extends beyond sales. Critics praised Nightreign’s Miquella-centric narrative (scoring 94 on Metacritic), while players flooded social media with clips of its new boss, the "Spectral Matriarch" — dubbed "2025’s most creatively sadistic encounter." Reddit threads speculate whether Elden Ring’s cumulative revenue could soon surpass $5 billion.
With Nightreign’s first major update due in August and rumors of a Game of the Year Edition swirling, FromSoftware’s reign shows no sign of ending. As one Twitch streamer put it: "They didn’t just raise the bar — they buried it six feet deep in a poison swamp."
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