The Duskbloods Debuts 8-Player PvPvE on Switch 2, With 30-Minute Matches and 3-Player Finals
Updated
Updated · IGN · Aug 20
The Duskbloods Debuts 8-Player PvPvE on Switch 2, With 30-Minute Matches and 3-Player Finals
3 articles · Updated · IGN · Aug 20
Summary
IGN’s hands-on preview says The Duskbloods turns FromSoftware’s action formula into multiplayer-only matches where eight players earn Virtue across three roughly eight-minute phases before a three-player final arena fight.
Virtue comes from PvE kills, item collection, boss-like Trespassers, character-specific Sigils and Ritual zones that trigger King-of-the-Hill PvP, creating a high-risk scoring race rather than a standard last-player-standing format.
Six playable Bloodsworn were available in the test, with 10 planned at launch; players also level up during matches, unlock a level-12 ability, and recruit NPC companions called Kin to shape builds on the fly.
Movement is unusually fast for FromSoftware—quadruple jumps, air dashes and infinite sprint across one of three launch maps—though IGN flagged lock-on targeting and camera tracking as weak points against fast human opponents.
Hidetaka Miyazaki said tabletop RPGs and board games influenced the design, and the network test is still feeding changes to matchmaking, newcomer support and progression; the Switch 2 exclusive has no release date yet.