What is The Duskbloods, The Next Soulsborne Game from Bloodborne, Elden Ring Devs?

The software's reputation continued to grow throughout the 2010s, and the studio has continued to accumulate releases well into the 2020s. Alden Ring, Armored Corps 6, Alden ring nitrene, And soon Duskbloods. But the more optimistic Duskbloods Apparently, this is a bit unusual coming from FromSoft. Gamers with a low attendance at the company, or the genre in general, could be forgiven for not knowing much about it.

Originally revealed during the Nintendo Switch Showcase in April 2025, Duskbloods A Switch 2 is special. It's already enough to stand out against the rest of FromSoftware's catalog, as the famous developer has only partnered with Sony for exclusive games – and even then only twice. Equally remarkable is the striking similarity of the game blood borneA FromSoft fan-favorite released in 2015; The two games have the same dark, quasi-steampunk aesthetics and themes. As more information about Duskbloods Enters the zeitgeist, becoming even more interesting as the upcoming cooperative multiplayer Souls.

What are Duskbloods?

The game's signature haunting imagery - The Duskbloods

like Elden Ring Nightreign, Duskbloods It's a co-op game designed around the iconic Souls-like combat that audiences have become so familiar with. But the opposite nitrene, Duskbloods Not a roguelike: it is a PvPvE action-RPG that supports eight players, who compete in different games and locations. Duskbloods Will feature “over a dozen” playable characters, each with their own unique powers, stats, moves, and lore. Collectively, these player-characters are known as the Bloodsworn, vampire-like creatures who must fight blood-transformed abominations, as well as each other, as the human race reaches its final hour.

Duskbloods story and setting

In typical firmware fashion, Duskbloods' The story is shrouded in mystery; Moreover, it will likely continue to be opaque for at least a few weeks after launch, once lore-delvers have plumbed the depths of its esoteric world. Still, there are some conclusions that can be drawn from what has been unveiled so far.

Where and when does Duskbloods take place?

One of the most important parallels between Duskbloods and blood borne A matter of setting and beauty. Duskbloods Like its 2015 predecessor, it is clearly influenced by Gothic and Victorian architecture and fashion. The characters are depicted in 19th-century clothing, the buildings are attractive and ornate, and many of the tools, such as guns and blades, are also period.

It's also leveraging the same Van Helsing and steampunk vibes blood borneBut of course more. For vampire hunting bait, Duskbloods The show seems to focus more on animals and gross magical concepts than vague cosmic mysticism. blood borne (Although it's hard to be sure at this stage). The steampunk inspiration is also very apparent at points, e.g Duskbloods' The reveal trailer also shows a fully functioning train system and a character in a rocketeer-like metal suit. Most software games, Duskbloods Will likely be decoupled from both real world and other FromSoft IP.

How Duskbloods makes a giant break from software tradition

What we know about the Duskbloods story

Duskbloods Takes place during an era known as the Twilight of Humanity, when civilization is nearing its end. Each Bloodsworn must find a substance called First Blood, which will be used for…something important. Again, this is a FromSoftware game, so the exact nature of this important content, like Paleblood, Elden Ring, and First Flame, is unclear. But one can assume that First Blood is meant to play an important role in reversing, preventing, or otherwise assuring the twilight of humanity.

In search of First Blood, the Bloodsworn are tasked with visiting different locations and time periods, which are the backdrop for each individual game session. While Duskbloods' Early promotional footage maintains a consistent Victorian theme, even as it approaches more modern concepts such as railways, although it is possible that its setting will actually be more diverse than first anticipated. If the Bloodsworn are able to travel through time, perhaps the game's atmosphere, enemy types, and plot beats will be much different than the gothic-centric reveal trailer suggests.

Duskbloods' The title itself is a reference to Bloodsworn: Hidetaka Miyazaki has described “Duskbloods” and “Bloodsworn” as somewhat interchangeable.

Is Duskbloods a Bloodborne sequel?

Many have speculated Duskbloods is actually connected blood borne Somehow, its aesthetic and story themes are reminiscent of earlier games. Even putting Software's own comments on the matter aside, this is highly unlikely for a number of reasons, not the least of which is Sony's own. blood borne IP. since Duskbloods As a Switch 2 exclusive, it would be highly implausible for it to have any obvious connection blood borneFor better or worse.

Duskbloods' gameplay

FromSoftware is very clear about the multiplayer at its heart DuskbloodsAt least to the same extent Elden Ring Nightreign. Based on the information available, the broad-stroke gameplay loop looks something like this:

Start PvPvE matches with other players
Earn victory points upon completion
Return to the hub area, where character customization takes place, using victory points as currency
Repeat the PvPvE cycle

According to Miyazaki, players can assign a role to their chosen character, which determines their victory conditions for the following game. These victory conditions can be the exact opposite of finding and defeating another player – helping a specific player and building a bond with them. Completing these role-based objectives will grant special rewards.

Duskbloods release date

Duskbloods is slated for 2026, although FromSoftware and Nintendo have not released a specific date at the time of writing. Like Alden Ring nitreneAs the first year ends, the developer may soon have a bit more bandwidth to spend. Evening bloods Promotion.

Recent leaks allege that FromSoftware is developing Duskbloods For longer than any of its other games, incl Alden RingAnd it's a more ambitious project than the developer has delivered so far. Hopefully, FromSoft won't have to wait too long to pull back the curtain, so we can really assess just how innovative this title can be.