FromSoftware’s status skyrocketed over the course of the 2010s, and the studio has solely continued to collect within the 2020s with releases like Elden Ring, Armored Core 6, Elden Ring Nightreign, and shortly The Duskbloods. However as promising as The Duskbloods appears, it’s a bit uncommon coming from FromSoft. Avid gamers much less attuned to the corporate, or the style on the whole, might be forgiven for not figuring out a lot about it.
Revealed in April 2025 throughout an early Nintendo Change showcase, The Duskbloods is a Switch 2 exclusive. That is already sufficient to make it stand out in opposition to the remainder of FromSoftware’s catalog, because the famed developer has solely ever partnered with Sony for unique video games—and even then solely twice. Equally notable is the sport’s putting similarity to Bloodborne, a FromSoft fan-favorite launched in 2015; the 2 video games characteristic the identical darkish, quasi-steampunk aesthetics and themes. As extra details about The Duskbloods seeps into the zeitgeist, the upcoming cooperative multiplayer soulslike turns into much more intriguing.
What Is The Duskbloods?
Like Elden Ring Nightreign, The Duskbloods is a co-op recreation designed across the iconic soulslike fight audiences have grown so accustomed to. However not like Nightreign, The Duskbloods is not a roguelike: it is a PvPvE action-RPG that helps as much as eight gamers, who compete in varied matches and areas. The Duskbloods will characteristic “over a dozen” playable characters, every with their very own distinctive powers, stats, movesets, and lore. Collectively, these player-characters are generally known as Bloodsworn, vampire-like beings who should battle blood-altered abominations, in addition to one another, as humankind approaches its ultimate hour.
The Duskbloods’ Story and Setting
In typical FromSoftware trend, The Duskbloods‘ narrative is shrouded in thriller; furthermore, it should doubtless proceed to be opaque till no less than just a few weeks post-launch, as soon as lore-delvers plumb the depths of its esoteric world. Nonetheless, there are just a few conclusions that may be drawn from what’s been unveiled to date.
The place and When Does The Duskbloods Take Place?
Probably the most vital parallels between The Duskbloods and Bloodborne is the matter of setting and aesthetic. The Duskbloods is clearly influenced by the identical Gothic and Victorian structure and trend as its 2015 predecessor. Characters are depicted carrying Nineteenth-century clothes, buildings are imposing and ornate, and lots of items of apparatus, equivalent to weapons and blades, are very of-the-times as properly.
It is also leveraging the identical Van Helsing and steampunk vibes as Bloodborne, however arguably extra so. As for the vampire-hunting fodder, The Duskbloods appears to be extra centered on beasts and abject magical ideas than the imprecise cosmic mysticism on show in Bloodborne (although that is exhausting to make certain about at this stage). The steampunk inspiration can be way more apparent at factors, as The Duskbloods‘ reveal trailer exhibits a fully-functioning practice system and even a character in a Rocketeer-like metal suit. Like most FromSoftware video games, The Duskbloods will in all probability be decoupled from each the actual world and different FromSoft IP.
What We Know About The Duskbloods’ Story
The Duskbloods takes place throughout an period generally known as The Twilight of Humanity, when civilization is nearing its finish. Every Bloodsworn should search out a substance called First Blood, which will probably be used for…one thing necessary. Once more, this can be a FromSoftware recreation, so the exact nature of this important materials, like Paleblood, the Elden Ring, and the First Flame earlier than it, is obfuscated. However one can assume that First Blood is supposed to play a pivotal position in both reversing, stopping, or in any other case assuaging The Twilight of Humanity.
Of their quest for First Blood, Bloodsworn are tasked with visiting distinct areas and time durations, that are the backdrops for every particular person recreation session. Whereas The Duskbloods‘ early promotional footage maintains a constant Victorian theme, even because it approaches extra fashionable ideas like railways, it is potential that its setting will truly be way more various than first assumed. If the Bloodsworn are in a position to journey by way of time, maybe the sport’s environments, enemy varieties, and plot beats will probably be way more various than the Gothic-centric reveal trailer suggests.
The Duskbloods‘ title is a reference to the Bloodsworn themselves: Hidetaka Miyazaki has described “Duskbloods” and “Bloodsworn” as considerably interchangeable.
Is The Duskbloods a Bloodborne Sequel?
Many have speculated that The Duskbloods is definitely linked to Bloodborne ultimately, as its aesthetic and narrative themes are so harking back to that earlier recreation. Even placing apart FromSoftware’s personal feedback on the matter, that is extremely unlikely for a number of causes, not the least of which being that Sony owns the Bloodborne IP. Since The Duskbloods is a Change 2 unique, it will be fairly implausible for it to have any specific connection to Bloodborne, for higher or worse.
The Duskbloods’ Gameplay
FromSoftware has been fairly clear about multiplayer being on the coronary heart of The Duskbloods, no less than to the identical extent as Elden Ring Nightreign. Primarily based on out there data, the broad-strokes gameplay loop appears to resemble the next:
- Embark on PvPvE matches with different gamers
- Earn Victory Factors upon completion
- Return to the hub space, the place character customization takes place, utilizing Victory Factors as forex
- Repeat the PvPvE cycle
In accordance with Miyazaki, gamers can assign their chosen character a job, which determines their victory situation for the next match. These victory circumstances can vary from looking for and defeating one other participant to the precise reverse—aiding a particular participant and forming a bond with them. Finishing these role-based targets will grant particular rewards.
The Duskbloods’ Launch Date
The Duskbloods is slated for 2026, although neither FromSoftware nor Nintendo has issued a particular date on the time of writing. As Elden Ring Nightreign‘s first year comes to an end, the developer could quickly have a bit extra bandwidth to expend on Duskbloods promotion.
Current leaks allege that FromSoftware has been developing The Duskbloods for longer than any of its different video games, together with Elden Ring, and that it is a much more formidable mission than the developer has let on up to now. Hopefully, FromSoft will not wait too lengthy to additional draw again the curtain, in order that we will actually assess how revolutionary this title might be.
- Launched
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2026
- Multiplayer
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On-line Multiplayer
- Variety of Gamers
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1-8 gamers
