The Duskbloods might be FromSoftware’s boldest experiment yet – and it lives on Switch 2

FromSoftware is not done surprising its fans. After Sekiro, Dark Souls and Elden Ring, the studio is once again stepping into new territory with The Duskbloods, a fresh IP built from the ground up as a multiplayer-focused action game, launching exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in 2026. The reveal immediately triggered “is this secretly Bloodborne 2?” reactions thanks to its gloomy, Gothic cityscapes and moonlit skyline, but everything points to something far more experimental than a simple spiritual sequel.

On paper, The Duskbloods is a PvPvE title where up to eight players – so-called Bloodsworn – are dropped into a shifting, monster-infested arena and told to complete objectives, gather resources and escape in one piece. Other players are as dangerous as any boss roaming the streets, and the match structure sounds closer to a twisted extraction game than a traditional battle royale. The core idea mixes player-versus-environment gauntlets with high-stakes duels and ambushes, wrapped in that familiar “every mistake can kill you” combat philosophy the studio is known for.

What really makes the project fascinating is what’s being said about its development. According to a well-known leaker from the Chinese press – the same person who shared accurate Elden Ring details years ago – The Duskbloods was greenlit around the time Sekiro was being promoted, and has supposedly spent longer in pure gameplay prototyping than any previous title from the studio. The rumor claims the team has been obsessively iterating on systems that blend PvE and PvP in ways they’re “extremely proud of,” with the hope that other developers will later borrow ideas from it just as they did from Sekiro’s posture mechanics. Meanwhile, spin-off projects like Elden Ring: Nightreign are handled by a different internal team, while this new multiplayer experiment is said to be directly directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki himself.

The tone is classic studio melancholia with a twist. Rather than grotesque monsters in frilly capes, the Bloodsworn are described as stylish, almost romantic figures whose connection to vampirism is more symbolic than monstrous. The world takes cues from Victorian and late early-modern architecture, sprinkled with anachronistic tech and ominous machinery. In the hub area, instead of the usual ethereal “maiden” archetype who levels you up and mutters cryptic lines, players will be guided by an elderly, winged rat gentleman – a deliberately odd, slightly cute figure that still fits the studio’s love for strange, memorable NPCs.

The community’s response so far is a mix of hype and raised eyebrows. Many players are excited to see the studio embrace full-on multiplayer chaos in a setting that scratches that long-standing Bloodborne itch. Others are more cautious, pointing out that a multiplayer-only game on a single platform is a very different proposition than a big, cross-platform action RPG. On forums and social sites, some long-time fans worry about “samey” animations and systems being reused too often, while others argue that if any team can reinvent itself inside familiar combat foundations, it’s this one – especially with so much emphasis reportedly placed on prototyping.

For players, the bottom line is simple: if you want to experience everything the studio is cooking up in the next few years, you’ll likely need to consider adding a Switch 2 alongside your usual PC, PlayStation or Xbox setup. The Duskbloods is officially targeting a 2026 release window, with the publisher and parent company already name-dropping it in financial reports next to other heavy hitters. A developer video series with Miyazaki is set to start in April 2025, promising a deeper look at the game’s structure and design philosophy once the focus shifts away from Elden Ring expansions. If the leaks are on point, we’re not just getting “Bloodborne with friends,” but a serious attempt to carve out a new sub-genre of tense, atmospheric multiplayer action.

Sources:

• Hungarian article on The Duskbloods and its leaked details

• The Duskbloods overview and release window

• Official announcement and platform details from the publisher group

• Article summarising leaks about ambitious gameplay prototyping

• Feature on the hub’s elderly winged rat guide character

• Community discussion about The Duskbloods’ development focus

*Cover image edited with AI.