How to Open & Exit a Portal in Nightingale

Nightingale‘s surreal Victorian-era-inspired world spans multiple realms to survive and thrive in. One of the first obstacles players might encounter is opening and exiting through the first portal in Nightingale. In this guide, we explain exactly how to open a portal in Nightingale, and how to exit it, so you can hop between worlds without a hitch. We’ve now added new information about how to fix the portal not opening issue, which seems to be commonplace for many players.

How to Open a Portal in Nightingale

These are the steps you should take for opening the first portal you encounter in Nightingale:

• Locate the Circular Gateway: Find a circular gateway, usually atop a set of stairs, and look for the Realm Card Machine nearby. The machine is recognizable by its elegant golden designs, particularly the wheels.
• Access the Realm Card Machine: Approach the Realm Card Machine and hit the ‘E’ key to open the menu.
• Insert Realm Cards: Drag your corresponding Realm Cards to the middle part of the menu. These cards determine the type of biome your portal reaches, along with other modifiers like the Byway Card to make it a ‘small, transient realm.’ We’ve detailed all the Realm Cards you can acquire and how to unlock them, here.
• Activate the Portal: Once you’ve selected your cards, hit ‘R’ to open your Portal.
• Enter the Portal: Walk through the Portal as it lights up, and it will automatically send you to your chosen realm.

How to Fix Portal Not Opening Issue

Nightingale has launched with a number of technical issues, and one such problem we’ve encountered is that portals occasional refuse to open. There is a fix, though. Here’s a step-by-step:

• Make sure you have vanquished all Bound adversaries.
• Perform a reset on the portal.
• Exit the game and start it up again.
• Ensure your internet connection is reliable.
• Verify the stability of the Nightingale servers.

How to Find Portal Gates in Nightingale

To find portals in Nightingale, first look for an out-of-place pedestal or structure. It has a circular opening at the center. These are usually where you’ll find Portal Gates in Nightingale, with the Realm Card Machine typically nearby. If you’ve already seen one and wish to return to it later, look out for the map marker that resembles a dome with an open door.

Exploring the Realms

Once you finish your first zone in the tutorial, you’ll be taken on a journey across several portals in different biomes. These include forests, deserts, and more regions with harsh elements, including heat and hunger. You have to survive these challenges to progress and unlock more portals.

Realms & Portals Mechanics

Here are a few key mechanics to understand to make your journeys between worlds go more smoothly:

• Realm Cards: Realms can be opened with the use of Realm Cards. These are obtained as rewards from encounters, chests, or by purchasing them from Essence Traders.
• Crafting: Once you obtain the recipes, you can craft using a Simple Enchanter’s Focus. You can also craft charms, infusions, and enchantments. Crafting materials may vary based on the complexity of the cards.
• Reset Realms: You can reset Realms by closing the portal down, obtaining new cards, crafting them, and choosing the option to reset the Realm. This resets all interactions and Traders, allowing you to gather more Essence and change the Realm’s difficulty.
• Opening and Closing Realms: Nightingale allows players to return to a realm without crafting new cards. You can choose to reopen a portal to a realm you’ve already visited or close it to free up your cards.
• Public Realms: You can make your realms public, but we’d suggest not doing this for your Abeyance Realm. This allows random players to join and help you out.

So, there you have it: the basics on how to open a portal in Nightingale, how to exit it, and explanations on some of the more confusing realm and portal mechanics. Armed with this knowledge, you should be well placed to explore Nightingale‘s eclectic realms. And if you’re just starting out, check out our suggestions on the best initial base building locations and our guide on upgrading weapons.