All articles tagged with #fromsoftware
Renowned game designer Hidetaka Miyazaki reflects on his rise from Demon’s Souls to Elden Ring and previews The Duskbloods, a Switch 2 multiplayer exclusive that blends PvP with temporary alliances, while exploring his recurring themes of ruin and rebirth, the importance of human connection (hands and feet motifs), and a design philosophy centered on curiosity over rigid rules.
The Tarnished Edition of Elden Ring arrives on Nintendo Switch 2 with Shadow of the Erdtree, delivering a port that mostly preserves the game's scale while running on the upgraded hardware. It performs well in both portable and docked modes, though textures are somewhat softened and occasional long loads appear. Overall, the open-world action remains engaging enough to make Switch 2 a strong platform for FromSoftware’s work as fans await The Duskbloods.
Kotaku’s Rebekah Valentine logs roughly 10 hours with The Duskbloods’ network test and comes away intrigued by the premise but frustrated by how punishing and repetitive the PvP-driven loop feels in its current form: limited maps and characters, no reliable way to squad with friends in the test, and matches that often end in back-to-back deaths at Ritual Sites. Despite the sting of repeated losses, the author praises the movement, Kin companions, and visuals, and notes the test could be a poor preview of the final game while remaining open to improvements—like better matchmaking, more content, and true co-op options—that might make the full release worth it.
From Software's Switch 2-exclusive The Duskbloods drew more playtest sign-ups than Elden Ring Nightreign, surprising developers given Switch 2's smaller audience; early server issues marred the test, but interest remains high as a release is planned for later this year.
Zork, a sapient armored seabird in The Duskbloods, drinks blood with his beak and rockets around in combat; Miyazaki says the character was inspired by Ultraman, aiming for a wild-card vampire unlike Victorian Gothic tropes, with the network test hinting at a chaotic, festival-like multiplayer world.
FromSoftware producer Yasuhiro Kitao said The Duskbloods closed network test attracted more applicants than Elden Ring: Nightreign, a surprising result given Switch 2’s still-growing user base. Despite a hitch in the first session, the test went smoothly overall, and The Duskbloods is planned to launch on Nintendo Switch 2 later this year.
FromSoftware's The Duskbloods on Switch 2 will use a ranked system to pair highly skilled players together while keeping newcomers in their own pool to prevent lopsided matches, with additional ideas like event-driven customization and an Alliance system to help vets mentor newbies; these features aren’t guaranteed at launch and will be refined after the upcoming network test, with the game launching as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive and running a phased test from Aug 21–24.
The Duskbloods' first closed network test started this morning but was ended early due to widespread server issues, leaving players stuck at the main menu; FromSoftware apologized and will continue server improvements, with additional test sessions planned for tonight and on August 22–23.
The Duskbloods' closed network test is experiencing connectivity issues, and FromSoftware advised players to play near their router or switch to a wired connection; if problems persist, check Nintendo's Support page, with the testing period running through Monday.
Hands-on with The Duskbloods shows a bold Switch 2 exclusive from FromSoftware: an eight-player vampire multiplayer that blends Souls-like combat with a virtue-based scoring system, multiple vampiric classes and companions, and a design intent to broaden Nintendo’s audience beyond Zelda and Mario—though it’s early, with features like customization and story elements still to come and significant risk for a platform-wide exclusive.
Amid ongoing GTA 6 leaks, FromSoftware reveals Zork, a bizarre Bloodsworn character in The Duskbloods for Switch 2, who wields an undersea cable, can howl, fire a back-mounted cannon, and slurp blood through a beak-like mask; Miyazaki touts the diverse, chaos-friendly multiplayer, calling Zork a wild-card addition to the festival-like lineup.
Hidetaka Miyazaki says FromSoftware intends to return to single-player experiences after The Duskbloods and Elden Ring: Nightreign, noting the multiplayer projects weren’t planned as a new direction. The Duskbloods is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive with a network test Aug 21–24, while Elden Ring remains the studio’s last major single-player title; The Duskbloods’ full release date is still unconfirmed despite a brief September date shown earlier.
A hands-on preview of The Duskbloods, FromSoftware’s Switch 2-exclusive PvPvE title, with new gameplay footage and upcoming closed network test details revealed during a visit to the studio.
Rebekah Valentine previews six of The Duskbloods’ ten launchable characters, humorously calling them 'total idiots' as the cast—Albert, Bloodhand Jan, Trang Lanh, Sniper Layla, a senator, and Zork—gets spotlighted, praising FromSoftware’s tradition of weird, memorable characters and signaling excitement for the upcoming weekend network test.
Footage from a 4Gamers hands-on preview of The Duskbloods leaked early, showing Moon Blood Bestowal in a fast-paced 8-player PvPvE match with jumps, backstepping, summons, transformations and gunplay; a separate datamine revealed 14 playable Bloodsworn classes; the title is a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive and will run a Closed Network Test August 21–23 across five windows, with strict anti-leak controls; Kadokawa maintains a 2026 release window.