HoYoverse, the studio behind Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail, has officially announced a brand-new open-world RPG titled Nodus Fall. The reveal came during Gamescom 2026’s Opening Night Live showcase, which was broadcast on the official The Game Awards channel on YouTube. The game is described as an action-based RPG with heavy soulslike elements, drawing comparisons to both Elden Ring and The Lord of the Rings in its design and tone.
The announcement marks a significant expansion for HoYoverse, which has been working on multiple projects beyond its established live-service hits. Nodus Fall appears to be a departure from the studio’s signature gacha-style RPGs, leaning instead into a darker, high-fantasy action experience with a focus on co-op play. While the trailer showcased a range of combat and traversal mechanics, HoYoverse has yet to confirm a release date or target platforms.
What Is Nodus Fall? Core Mechanics and Setting
According to the official announcement, Nodus Fall is a third-person RPG that casts players as a character known as a Weaver. In this role, players will use powers granted by divine sources to hunt and defeat powerful beasts of legend. The game is described as steeped in dark fantasy, though it still carries the hallmarks of a high-fantasy setting — a combination that the studio says inevitably draws some inspiration from The Lord of the Rings.
The gameplay reveal highlighted a variety of weapons and abilities at the player’s disposal, alongside heavy soulslike elements that extend from character and monster design to core mechanics. The trailer also showcased a female-presenting character who opens up wings in a manner extremely reminiscent of Elden Ring‘s Malenia, a detail that has already sparked discussion among fans. Beyond that, the trailer featured a range of monster-like bosses, including dragons and gargantuan bear-like creatures, as well as humanoid enemies.
One of the more distinctive elements shown was a Monster Hunter-inspired traversal mechanic: a character uses a wire-like tool to latch onto a monster, suggesting a dynamic approach to both movement and combat. This blend of influences positions Nodus Fall as a hybrid of several beloved action-RPG formulas, though it remains to be seen how these systems will coalesce in the final product.
Co-Op Play and the Expanding HoYoverse Portfolio
A key feature of Nodus Fall is its co-op mechanics, which will allow players to explore the world and face enemies — including tough bosses — alongside friends. This marks a notable shift for HoYoverse, whose previous titles like Genshin Impact and Honkai: Star Rail have traditionally been single-player-first experiences with limited multiplayer components.
The announcement comes as HoYoverse continues to diversify its lineup. The studio has been working on multiple projects, including the upcoming Honkai: Nexus Anima, a creature-collector RPG with auto-battling systems set in an open-world map that will grow with updates, much like its sister games. Nodus Fall, however, appears to be a more ambitious pivot into the action-soulslike genre, a space currently dominated by titles like Elden Ring and Dark Souls.
Gamescom 2026 also highlighted the free release of Once Human for PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S, underscoring a busy showcase for RPG fans. Nodus Fall stood out, however, as one of the few titles to blend co-op, soulslike combat, and open-world exploration in a single package.
Release Date, Platforms, and What Comes Next
HoYoverse has not yet revealed a release date or platform availability for Nodus Fall. More details are expected to surface in the coming months, as the studio tends to make announcements with relatively short lead times. Given how the company operates, it is likely that there will be playtests before launch, though this remains an estimate rather than a confirmed plan.
For now, fans of HoYoverse’s visual polish and world-building have a new title to anticipate, one that appears to channel the epic scale of The Lord of the Rings while borrowing the punishing combat and boss design of Elden Ring. The addition of Monster Hunter-style traversal and co-op play could set Nodus Fall apart in a crowded genre, but the lack of concrete release details means players will have to wait for further updates.
As HoYoverse continues to expand beyond its established franchises, Nodus Fall represents a bold new direction — one that could redefine the studio’s identity in the action-RPG space. Until more information is shared, the game remains a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come from one of the industry’s most prolific developers.
