I hope Duskbloods provides a better FromSoftware multiplayer experience than Elden Ring Nightreign did
2026 preview: It may not be the solo exclusive Switch 2 players wanted, but with Miyazaki directing, it’s an automatic most-wanted
When it was announced that Nintendo Switch 2 is getting a new game from FromSoftware, directed by hitmaker Hidetaka Miyazaki, Nintendo fans and Soulsborne fans alike sat up.
The excitement was tempered somewhat when it was later revealed that The Duskbloods would be a multiplayer game, but even with that caveat, The Duskbloods remains one of the Switch 2’s most intriguing mysteries.
The Duskbloods can be played PvP or PvE. In both modes, players will pick from pre-made characters, much like 2025’s Elden Ring Nightreign. However, unlike Nightreign, players may have to fight off other players, as well as NPC enemies across the map.
Players complete events across the maps, such as defeating powerful bosses or completing other quests, to earn Victory Points. These points will determine who wins. In this sense, Duskbloods is almost Battle Royale-like in its construction, a sharp departure from the traditional Souls experience.
The Duskbloods following Nightreign may prove useful for the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. While Miyazaki’s involvement in Nightreign reportedly wasn’t as substantial as other titles in his catalogue, he’ll have certainly learned lessons, and hopefully listened to some of the lukewarm reception to the Elden Ring multiplayer experience.
From the trailer alone, the variety in Duskbloods’ playable characters seems vast. There are a few typical FromSoftware goth-adjacent warriors, but there’s also a steampunk rocketman who can seemingly fly across large sections of the map. The game will live and die on the variety it offers, especially since players can’t make their characters from scratch, but so far, so good.
One of the most exciting elements of the game’s debut trailer is the aesthetic of the new world FromSoftware is building. It’s hard to escape The Duskbloods’ resemblance to Bloodborne, arguably Miyazaki’s most beloved game. The Duskbloods is heavily influenced by vampire media across both cinema and literature, and it’s translating into a compelling game world to explore.
“There are a few typical FromSoftware goth-adjacent warriors, but there’s also a steampunk rocketman who can seemingly fly across large sections of the map.”
The trailer shows off Victorian architecture juxtaposed with trains adorned with neon lights. There are also snowy hills, rushing rivers, and sprawling catacombs to explore. If the game is a Battle Royale-like as the description seems to suggest, varied points of interest are a staple of the genre, and considering FromSoftware’s history when it comes to location design, it’s a fascinating prospect.
One of our biggest issues with Elden Ring Nightreign was the time constraint on exploring as much of the beautiful, labyrinthine world as we could, so we hope The Duskbloods is less harsh in its approach. There certainly seems to be far more a cutscene focus in The Duskbloods, so perhaps the PvP elements vary wildly from Nightreign’s approach, and it’s closer to the experience that most FromSoftware fans crave.
There’s no escaping the deflation that FromSoftware fans felt when they realised this wasn’t a new single-player experience, but FromSoftware still has enough goodwill in the bank that we’re very interested in seeing more of The Duskbloods.
It’s frustrating that more fans can’t play it, but the prospect of a console-exclusive game from Miyazaki is an interesting one. After all, the FromSoftware game people mention most is still, inexplicably, locked to PlayStation.
The Duskbloods needs to deliver on what FromSoftware does best. Excellent world-building, deep lore, and a rewarding gameplay loop. We really hope there’s a lot here for players that have absolutely no interest in PvP, but we’ll find out more about that when FromSoftware decides to release more than the game’s initial trailer.
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