The Duskbloods, a whole new FromSoftware game led by Dark Souls and Elden Ring director Hidetaka Miyazaki, was one of the biggest surprises from this week's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct news. The Switch 2-exclusive PvPvE game is set to launch sometime next year on Nintendo's upcoming console, but if you were worried about the focus on PvP, it sounds like the director has got you covered.
Speaking in a Creator's Voice interview in a new series of Nintendo blog posts, Miyazaki explains that "at its core," The Duskbloods is an "online multiplayer focused game, with both player vs player and player vs enemy gameplay." Players are able to choose a character before heading online, where they'll compete for "First Blood." Once a match ends, they'll receive a reward, which can be used to "further customize their character, and so the cycle continues."
It sounds like you won't necessarily have to be a PvP legend to succeed here, though, as Miyazaki notes that not all victory conditions are based on that. "Some victory conditions center around defeating a boss enemy," he adds, before continuing: "Regardless of whether it's PvP or PvE, the idea is to provide players with an experience that allows them to learn and hone their skills as they play. We've therefore designed the PvE boss encounters to present a tough challenge and a sense of accomplishment upon defeating them."
Miyazaki later states that it "was the intention" to ensure that even players who don't generally gravitate towards PvP can have fun. "I personally am not much of a PvP person, and I wanted to make something that's satisfying even for players like me," he explains. "While the goal of a match is to obtain First Blood, there are personal objectives that provide separate rewards to the player as well, so I hope these add to the fun of each engagement."
Meanwhile, if multiplayer FromSoftware games really aren't your thing, Miyazaki has also clarified that "we still intend to actively develop single player focused games" like Elden Ring which "embrace our more traditional style."
The Duskbloods is definitely one of the most exciting upcoming Switch 2 games, but don't forget about Mario Kart World, which'll be racing onto the console on launch day.
