The gaming community is abuzz with anticipation for the upcoming Elden Ring: Nightreign expansion, announced last year with a projected 2025 release window. While many fans are biding their time through replays of older FromSoftware titles or struggling to assemble full co-op squads for the notoriously duo-unfriendly gameplay, one dedicated player has taken a truly hardcore approach to the wait. In a display of skill and commitment that would make the legendary Let Me Solo Her proud, a YouTuber known as Chickensandwich420 has embarked on an extraordinary daily challenge: defeating the formidable boss Messmer the Impaler from the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC every single day without taking a single hit, all while waiting for Nightreign's eventual launch.

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The Ultimate Test of Skill and Patience

Chickensandwich420's incredible journey began on December 16 last year, a mere four days after Nightreign's official announcement at The Game Awards. The YouTuber isn't taking the easy route either—they're tackling this challenge on New Game Plus 7 (NG+7), the highest possible difficulty setting where enemies hit like trucks and have massively inflated health pools. Talk about making things harder on yourself!

In their initial video description, the player outlined an ambitious plan: to continue this daily ritual until June of this year. If Nightreign hasn't launched by that point, they've promised to "branch out" into other FromSoftware bosses, a clever nod to the expansion's rumored inclusion of classic Dark Souls enemies. This isn't just a fleeting challenge; it's a long-term commitment that requires serious dedication.

By the Numbers: The Challenge Breakdown

Let's crunch some numbers to understand the scale of this undertaking:

Metric Value What It Means
Days Committed Until June 2025 Potentially 180+ consecutive days
Current Streak 20+ days (as of writing) Already an impressive feat
Remaining Fights 142+ after initial streak That's a lot of Messmer!
Difficulty Level NG+7 The absolute hardest setting
Success Condition No-hit runs only Zero damage taken

Variety is the Spice of (Virtual) Life

What makes Chickensandwich420's challenge particularly impressive isn't just the consistency—it's the creativity. Rather than sticking to a single, optimized strategy, they've been mixing things up with different weapons for each attempt. This approach:

  • Showcases mastery of multiple combat styles

  • Prevents monotony in what could become a repetitive task

  • Demonstrates deep game knowledge of weapon movesets and boss patterns

  • Makes Messmer look like an absolute joke (their words, not mine!)

For those of us who struggled through dozens of deaths against this fiery foe, watching someone dismantle him with such casual proficiency is both inspiring and slightly demoralizing. It's the classic "git gud" mentality taken to its logical extreme.

Proven Track Record: Not Their First Rodeo

This isn't Chickensandwich420's first time at the no-hit challenge rodeo. Last year, they pulled off a similar feat by defeating Maliketh every day without taking damage in the lead-up to Shadow of the Erdtree's release. This experience gives them several advantages:

  1. Mental fortitude from previous long-term challenges

  2. Technical expertise in executing consistent no-hit strategies

  3. Community support from viewers who followed their last journey

  4. Understanding of the grind required for daily content creation

The gaming community has taken notice, with many fans offering words of encouragement: "Good luck soldier, you'll need it" has become a common refrain in comment sections. There's a genuine sense of camaraderie in watching someone push the limits of what's possible in these punishing games.

The Big Question: Can They Keep It Up?

As we look toward June, several factors will determine whether Chickensandwich420 can maintain this punishing schedule:

🔥 Burnout Risk: Daily content creation is exhausting, even without the pressure of perfect gameplay

🔥 Real-Life Obligations: Work, family, and other responsibilities don't pause for gaming challenges

🔥 Technical Issues: Hardware failures, internet problems, or game bugs could interrupt the streak

🔥 Motivation Maintenance: Staying motivated through potentially hundreds of identical fights

Even if they complete the challenge through June, there's no guarantee Nightreign will launch immediately afterward. The expansion's development timeline remains uncertain, though the 2025 window suggests FromSoftware is making good progress.

What This Says About the Soulslike Community

Chickensandwich420's challenge exemplifies several key aspects of the FromSoftware fanbase:

  • 🎯 Extreme dedication to mastering game mechanics

  • 🤝 Community spirit in supporting fellow players' crazy endeavors

  • 💡 Creative problem-solving in finding new ways to engage with familiar content

  • ⏳ Willingness to wait for quality content, even if it means creating their own entertainment

This kind of self-imposed challenge culture has become a hallmark of Soulslike games, where the community constantly invents new ways to test their skills long after completing the main content.

Looking Ahead: The Nightreign Connection

While we wait for official Nightreign news, challenges like this keep the community engaged and speculation lively. The expansion's rumored inclusion of Dark Souls bosses has fans particularly excited, suggesting a potential crossover event or homage to FromSoftware's earlier work. If Chickensandwich420 does need to "branch out" come June, we might see them taking on:

  • Ornstein & Smough from Dark Souls

  • Lady Maria from Bloodborne (if we're lucky with ports!)

  • Isshin the Sword Saint from Sekiro

  • New Nightreign bosses if the expansion launches shortly after

Final Thoughts: More Than Just a Gaming Challenge

At its core, Chickensandwich420's daily Messmer challenge represents something deeper than just impressive gameplay. It's about:

  • Community building through shared experiences and goals

  • Pushing personal limits in a public, accountable way

  • Filling the void during gaming dry spells with self-made content

  • Honoring the legacy of community legends like Let Me Solo Her

As we count down to Nightreign's eventual release, stories like this remind us that sometimes the most memorable gaming moments happen not in the games themselves, but in the creative ways players engage with them during the wait. Whether Chickensandwich420 completes their full challenge or not, they've already secured their place in Elden Ring community lore—and given the rest of us something to watch while we wait for that sweet, sweet Nightreign release date.

Keep on fighting, Tarnished. The wait might be long, but the community makes it worthwhile. And who knows? Maybe by the time Nightreign drops, we'll all be no-hit pros thanks to inspiration from challenges like this one. Until then, we'll be watching, learning, and probably still dying to Messmer ourselves. Such is life in the Lands Between!