The Duskbloods is FromSoftware’s new online multiplayer action game, built as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive and directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki. It pits up to eight players against one another and against the environment in a PvPvE fight for power, with vampire-like warriors known as the Bloodsworn at the center. After a long quiet stretch, the game resurfaced during the June 2026 Nintendo Direct with fresh in-game footage and a clear next step for players who want hands-on time.
Quick answer: The Duskbloods is confirmed for a 2026 launch on Switch 2, and a closed network test is scheduled for summer 2026. Tester sign-up instructions have not been released yet, so there is nothing to apply for at the moment.
The Duskbloods release window (2026, Switch 2 exclusive)
The game is set to release worldwide in 2026 on Nintendo Switch 2. There is no exact day or month confirmed yet. FromSoftware has stated the title stays exclusive to Switch 2 and will not appear on other platforms, since Nintendo is involved on the publishing side.
It was first announced in April 2025 as part of the Switch 2 reveal, and the 2026 timing was reaffirmed when parent company Kadokawa noted the game remained in development and on schedule for a release later this year. The June 2026 Direct then reinforced that the project is still tracking toward a 2026 launch.
| Detail | Status |
|---|---|
| Platform | Nintendo Switch 2 (exclusive) |
| Release year | 2026 (no exact date confirmed) |
| Closed network test | Summer 2026 |
| Players | Up to 8 (online) |
| Director | Hidetaka Miyazaki |
| Genre | Multiplayer action role-playing (PvPvE) |
This is FromSoftware’s first game exclusive to a Nintendo home console since Lost Kingdoms II in 2003, and its first Nintendo exclusive title overall. The official product details are listed on the FromSoftware project page.
Closed network test in summer 2026 and how sign-ups work
FromSoftware confirmed a closed network test for The Duskbloods, scheduled to run sometime during summer 2026. Because the game is a Switch 2 exclusive, the test will take place on Switch 2 as well. The studio has said that information about tester applications and other details will follow at a later date.
There is no application form or sign-up window open right now, and the method to register has not been revealed. Official updates on tester applications will appear on the official The Duskbloods website when they go live.
Note: FromSoftware’s recent multiplayer game, Elden Ring Nightreign, announced its closed network test roughly a month before sign-ups opened, then ran the test about a month after that. That is not a promise for how The Duskbloods will be paced, but it gives a rough sense of the gap between announcement and playable test.
The Duskbloods gameplay: PvPvE, Bloodsworn, and First Blood
The Duskbloods is a multiplayer action role-playing game that mixes player versus player and player versus environment combat for up to eight participants. You play as one of the Bloodsworn, vampire-like fighters who have pushed past normal human limits through special blood. The core goal is to claim the coveted First Blood, fighting both rival players and tough enemies along the way.
You choose from more than a dozen Bloodsworn, each with its own weapons and abilities. The arsenal includes melee weapons and firearms, marking a return of guns to a FromSoftware action game in the vein of Bloodborne. Matches play out across a range of maps, and players can call in companions to help during combat.
Customization happens in a dedicated hub area. You shape a character through their “blood history and fate,” which adjusts abilities, appearance, and characteristics, and also sets your in-game role. Lore fragments are woven into these customization items, so building a character also reveals pieces of the world.
Roles and how a match is won
Roles assign specific objectives during a match. Two examples have been detailed so far.
| Role | Objective |
|---|---|
| Destined Rivals | Find and defeat a designated rival player. |
| Destined Companion | Seek out a designated ally to earn a special reward. |
Victory Points decide the outcome of a match. You earn them through direct combat or through more strategic play. A dynamic event system can change a match on the fly by adding special enemy spawns and extra objectives that grant bonus rewards. A match ends when only one player is left standing, and every participant receives rewards afterward regardless of how they placed, which can then be spent on character customization.
Story and setting
The Duskbloods takes place as humanity reaches its end and a source called the First Blood begins to flow. This brings the Twilight of humanity, a moment where locations across time and space converge. In that fractured world, the Bloodsworn battle beings who have surpassed human limits through blood.
Despite the vampire framing, the Bloodsworn are not designed as monsters. The team aimed to reinterpret the romantic themes tied to vampires and blood, leaning into Gothic and Victorian aesthetics along with the late early modern period. The result is a dark, somber tone that visually recalls Bloodborne while building its own identity.
The project began when FromSoftware brought Miyazaki’s loose outline to Nintendo, who showed interest and greenlit the work. A small team started development on the original Switch, then shifted to Switch 2 once Nintendo shared its plans for the new hardware, which let the studio lean harder into the game’s online features and match its original vision.
For now, the most important markers are simple. The game is coming in 2026 on Switch 2, the closed network test arrives in summer 2026, and tester sign-up details are still on the way. Anyone hoping to play early should watch for the application announcement rather than expecting a registration window today.
