Yesterday marked the release of patch 1.01.3 for *Elden Ring: Nightreign*, a seemingly minor update primarily focused on bug fixes and quality-of-life improvements. At first glance, it appeared to be just another routine maintenance patch—something players would acknowledge and then quickly forget about. However, as the night wore on, a surprising discovery began making the rounds within the community.
A new entry appeared in the Expeditions menu—an undertaking titled "Everdark Sovereign," linked to the familiar Gaping Jaw boss. It didn’t take long for players to realize that FromSoftware had quietly delivered on its promise to introduce enhanced versions of existing Nightlords this month, doing so without any prior announcement. The element of surprise added an extra layer of excitement, allowing players to stumble upon the new content organically. Watching the community piece this together late into the night was nothing short of thrilling.
“Wtf is this??? New??”
Confirmed today via Bandai Namco’s official site, the Everdark Sovereigns are a series of upgraded Nightlords set to rotate weekly in Limveld. Gaping Jaw currently holds the title of Everdark Sovereign, with Sentient Pest and Darkdrift Knight scheduled to follow in the coming weeks. Each Everdark Sovereign will remain active for seven days before being replaced by the next in line.
To challenge an Everdark Sovereign, you must first defeat its base form. These fights are only accessible online, encouraging cooperative play, though solo attempts are possible for those up to the task. Early player reports suggest that the upgraded Gaping Jaw is no joke—footage shows Adel moving faster, summoning massive storms, and obliterating entire teams in seconds.
“This...Just feels like a lot right now...”
While the Everdark Sovereign encounters are challenging, they also serve as a rewarding progression system—similar to Monster Hunter’s tempered monsters. As players grow stronger and more experienced, these updated bosses offer a fresh test of skill and coordination.
Defeating an Everdark Sovereign grants Sovereign Sigils, which can be spent at a newly introduced shop located in the hub area. This shop offers unique Relics, cosmetic skins, and even customization options for the Roundtable Hold—such as dynamic lighting changes and shifting earth statuses. The latter has been a long-standing community request, and its inclusion marks a meaningful response to player feedback.
“Just a small performance/bug fixing update. Nothing major...”
Although the patch notes for version 1.01.3 were modest, the impact of the Everdark Sovereign introduction has been anything but small. This unexpected addition has reignited interest in *Nightreign*, offering both fresh challenges and exciting rewards. With more Everdark Sovereigns set to arrive in the future, the game continues to evolve in compelling ways.
Bandai Namco hinted that this is only the beginning: “This is only the start of the Everdark Sovereign cycle. As the power of the Night ebbs and wanes, the Sovereigns will soon return to the abyss they came from.” Considering the roadmap of full updates already planned for *Elden Ring: Nightreign*, this early expansion sets a promising tone for what’s to come.
We’ve got plenty of Nightreign tips and tricks to help you take down all eight Nightlord Bosses, and if you’re wondering how to unlock the two locked Nightfarer Classes, check out How to Unlock the Revenant and How to Unlock the Duchess, plus How to Change Characters.
