The Duskbloods

  1. Home
  2. Wiki

The Duskbloods
Developer(s)FromSoftware
Publisher(s)FromSoftware
Director(s)Hidetaka Miyazaki
Platform(s)Nintendo Switch 2
Release2026
Genre(s)Action role-playing
Mode(s)Multiplayer

The Duskbloods[a] is an upcoming action role-playing game by FromSoftware for the Nintendo Switch 2. A multiplayer game, it supports up to eight players and features both player versus player (PvP) and player versus environment (PvE) gameplay. Players choose from over a dozen vampire-like characters known as Bloodsworn, each possessing unique weapons and abilities, to compete in matches across various maps.

Synopsis

[edit]

As humanity reaches its end, a source known as the First Blood flows. With this, comes the Twilight of humanity, where locations across time and space converge. There, Bloodsworn are to fight, beings who through blood have surpassed the limits of humanity.[1]

Gameplay

[edit]

The Duskbloods is a multiplayer action role-playing game that features player versus player (PvP) and player versus environment (PvE) gameplay for up to eight participants.[2] Players choose from over a dozen Bloodsworn—vampire-like characters, each possessing unique weapons, including firearms, and abilities—to compete across various maps.[3][4] Players can customize their characters in a dedicated hub area. Lore fragments are integrated into character customization items, specifically within each character's "blood history and fate", which reveals details about the game world.[1] By customizing a character's blood history and fate, players can adjust attributes such as abilities, appearance, and characteristics, as well as their in-game role. These roles assign specific responsibilities and objectives during matches.[5] For example, the Destined Rivals role requires a player to find and defeat a designated rival, while the Destined Companion role tasks a player with seeking out a designated ally, earning a special reward.[6] To aid in combat, players can summon companions.[7] An event system may dynamically influence matches by introducing elements such as special enemy spawns and additional objectives that offer bonus rewards.[3] Players earn Victory Points, which determine the outcome of a match, through direct combat or more strategic actions. A match concludes when only one player remains. Upon completion, players receive rewards, regardless of the outcome, which can be used for character customization.[1]

Development and release

[edit]

FromSoftware discussed potential ideas with Nintendo, presenting what director Hidetaka Miyazaki described as an outline for The Duskbloods. Although Miyazaki characterized it as "more a loose string of ideas than a proper presentation", Nintendo expressed interest, leading to the project's commencement. Initially, a small team at FromSoftware started the development for the Nintendo Switch. As they progressed, Nintendo informed the studio of their upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 console, which prompted a shift in development strategy to take advantage of the new hardware and further emphasizing the game's online features and more closely align with FromSoftware's original vision.[5] While conceptually related to vampires, the Bloodsworn are not depicted as monstrous.[8] Instead, the developers aimed to reinterpret romantic themes associated with vampires and blood through the Bloodsworn, also collectively known as the Duskbloods.[1] The game's visuals take inspiration from Gothic and Victorian aesthetics, as well as the late early modern period.[9] FromSoftware implemented player versus player and player versus environment gameplay, as they believed that it offered diverse game design opportunities and allowed them to apply their expertise in creating challenging enemy encounters.[4]

The Duskbloods was announced during an April 2025 Nintendo Direct presentation.[10] The game is scheduled to release for the Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.[11][12]

Notes

[edit]
  1. ^ Japanese: ダスクブラッド

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b c d Van Allen, Eric (4 April 2025). "Switch 2 Exclusive The Duskbloods: 7 Things We Learned From Nintendo's Interview with Director Hidetaka Miyazaki". IGN. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  2. ^ Wales, Matt (2 April 2025). "FromSoftware's The Duskbloods is Bloodborne meets Sekiro meets Dark Souls, with jetpacks and dinos thrown in". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  3. ^ a b Gach, Ethan (4 April 2025). "Elden Ring Director Hidetaka Miyazaki Explains What You Actually Do In Bloodborne-Looking Multiplayer Switch 2 Exclusive Duskbloods". Kotaku. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  4. ^ a b McWhertor, Michael (4 April 2025). "Why FromSoft is all in on multiplayer with Switch 2 game The Duskbloods". Polygon. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  5. ^ a b "Creator's Voice: The Duskbloods". Nintendo. 4 April 2025. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  6. ^ Sinha, Ravi (4 April 2025). "The Duskbloods' Roles Let You Mark Other Players as Companions or Rivals". GamingBolt. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  7. ^ Nightingale, Ed (4 April 2025). "FromSoftware's focus hasn't shifted to multiplayer, Miyazaki says, despite Elden Ring: Nightreign and The Duskbloods". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  8. ^ Di Benedetto, Antonio G. (4 April 2025). "FromSoftware's Miyazaki assures fans the studio will still make single-player games". The Verge. Archived from the original on 4 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  9. ^ Wilson, Mike (6 April 2025). "New Details Revealed for The Duskbloods From Director Hidetaka Miyazaki". Bloody Disgusting. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  10. ^ Bankhurst, Adam (2 April 2025). "Nintendo Switch 2 Direct: Everything Announced". IGN. Archived from the original on 7 April 2025. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  11. ^ Faulkner, Cheri (2 April 2025). "From Software Announces The Duskbloods, A New RPG Exclusive To Switch 2". GameSpot. Archived from the original on 3 April 2025. Retrieved 4 April 2025.
  12. ^ "Nintendo Switch 2 The Duskbloods Releasing in 2026" (Press release). FromSoftware. 2 April 2025. Archived from the original on 6 April 2025. Retrieved 10 April 2025.
[edit]