HoYoverse's Nodusfall: Student of Elden Ring or Copycat?

The moment the first trailer for Nodusfall was released, the international gaming community immediately divided into two camps. One side pointed out numerous visual similarities to Elden Ring—from a winged character evoking Malenia, to a white-haired woman directly compared to Melina. The other side countered that dark fantasy is a shared design language of the genre, not a FromSoftware monopoly. But a bigger question looms: does a gacha giant like HoYoverse really need to 'borrow' so much from its predecessors, or is this merely coincidence in a genre already saturated with the soulslike formula? HoYoverse, the Chinese developer behind Genshin Impact and the Honkai series, has never hidden its ambition to expand markets. But completely abandoning its signature anime style for realistic dark fantasy is a rare strategic pivot. Beyond the aesthetic shift, Nodusfall introduces a four-player co-op boss-hunting mechanic—a genuine differentiator from Elden Ring. From my perspective, this is not a copycat game but a product trying to carve a niche in the space between 'Elden Ring and Monster Hunter'—a formula the community itself recognized in its earliest comments. What makes this controversy notable is that it unfolds before any gameplay footage has been shown. All 'rip-off' accusations rest on static trailer images—flimsy evidence by the legal standards of game copyright. Under the law, game mechanics are not protected; only specific expressive elements such as character designs, art assets, and names can be infringing. The similarities cited—a winged character, a white-haired woman—are archetypal and universal within dark fantasy, not direct copies. From a business perspective, this is HoYoverse's biggest gamble since its founding. Developing an open-world game with realistic graphics is significantly costlier than its familiar anime titles—requiring new engines, a different art team, and no reuse of legacy assets. But the investment carries a potential reward: diversifying the portfolio and accessing the premium Western console/PC market where Elden Ring proved massive demand. Conversely, the reputational risk is real. If the 'copycat' label sticks to Nodusfall, it could depress pre-order sales in Western markets where Elden Ring's fanbase is vast and passionate. The biggest blind spot in this story is how the community—and some press—are reacting emotionally rather than evidentially. Comparing an unreleased game to a Game of the Year winner is a cognitively unfair test. But strategically, this outrage is a form of massive free publicity. If HoYoverse soon releases gameplay showcasing the 4-player co-op mechanic—something Elden Ring lacks—the 'rip-off' narrative will quickly transform into 'homage.' At that point, today's scandal becomes a marketing springboard for launch. Looking long-term, I believe Nodusfall should not be judged by its first trailer. Major titles typically need at least two gameplay reveals before their true identity emerges. HoYoverse has the finances, the team, and a legitimate reason to defend this new venture. The question is not whether they copied, but whether they dare to be different. For me, every major contract begins with a whisper. For major games, every controversy begins with a trailer. Nodusfall's fate will be decided not by today's social media comments, but by the quality of gameplay HoYoverse unveils in the next 12 months.