Games

The Duskbloods: How FromSoftware’s Longest Gameplay Experiment Could Shape Its Future

27 November 2025
Nintendo Switch 2
13 min.
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The Duskbloods: How FromSoftware’s Longest Gameplay Experiment Could Shape Its Future

Summary:

The Duskbloods has gone from a mysterious name in a leak to one of the most talked about upcoming projects around FromSoftware. A Chinese games journalist who gained trust by accurately sharing Elden Ring details before release now claims that this new multiplayer project has been in development since 2019 and was actually greenlit before Sekiro reached its big marketing push. According to the translated report, The Duskbloods has spent longer in pure gameplay prototyping and validation than any other FromSoftware project, with a structure that blends PvE and PvP elements in ways the team is genuinely proud of. For players, that mix of long development and ambitious design immediately raises expectations. At the same time, everything still sits in rumor territory, even as multiple outlets repeat the same core claims about record-breaking prototyping time, intensive internal playtests, and a focus on Nintendo Switch 2. The current picture suggests a multiplayer experience that aims to push the studio beyond what Elden Ring and Nightreign already achieved. With Elden Ring Nightreign receiving a major DLC launch in December 2025 and corporate guidance pointing to further updates before March 2026, it makes sense that Bandai Namco would want that cycle to land cleanly before turning the spotlight fully toward The Duskbloods. Many fans now look at The Game Awards 2025 as a prime candidate for a fresh trailer, even if nothing has been officially announced. In the meantime, we can look at what is being claimed, why the rumor holds weight, and what it could realistically mean for FromSoftware’s next era of multiplayer design.

Origins of The Duskbloods rumor and why people are listening

The story around The Duskbloods does not start with a flashy trailer or a press release, it starts with a familiar name in the world of leaks. A Chinese journalist, already known for sharing accurate Elden Ring information before that game released, is the person tying all of the current claims together. Their comments have been translated and amplified by creators and outlets that closely follow FromSoftware, and those translations paint a consistent picture of a long running project that has quietly grown behind the scenes while other games took the spotlight. When players see the same description repeated across multiple sites, it feels different from a random anonymous forum post. There is a sense that someone who has previously demonstrated access is again willing to stick their neck out. That prior track record does not magically turn these claims into official facts, yet it explains why so many fans are paying attention. In a space where wild speculation is common, having a named source with history changes how the rumor lands and gives people a starting point for their expectations.

How long The Duskbloods has reportedly been in development

One of the most striking details is the reported timeline. The journalist claims that The Duskbloods has been in development since 2019, putting its origins before Elden Ring had fully stepped into the public eye and well before Nightreign arrived. That would mean the project has quietly run in parallel with some of FromSoftware’s biggest launches, taking shape over several console generations and market shifts. When you consider how quickly many multiplayer projects are built and shipped, a six to seven year span sounds huge. If accurate, that length hints at multiple prototype phases, discarded ideas, and big structural pivots that players will likely never see. It also suggests that internal leadership believed in the core vision strongly enough to keep nurturing it even as the studio juggled other high profile releases. For fans, that timeline fuels the sense that The Duskbloods is not a small side experiment but something the studio sees as foundational.

Greenlit before Sekiro marketing and what that really implies

The same report mentions that The Duskbloods was greenlit before the marketing period for Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, which puts the first internal thumbs up even further back in the studio’s history. If true, this shows that FromSoftware had plans for a new kind of multiplayer experience even while Sekiro and Elden Ring were still in the spotlight pipeline. Greenlighting a project that early does not mean full production started right away, but it does mean the underlying pitch cleared major internal hurdles. That gives us a sense of how long the core idea has been sitting in the background, maturing as the team learned from subsequent releases. Every system in Sekiro, Elden Ring, and Nightreign could have fed back into how leadership thought about risk, progression, co-op dynamics, and world structure for The Duskbloods. So when you hear that it predates a big marketing cycle, it is really a clue that the project has been part of long term planning rather than a quick reaction to recent trends.

Why FromSoftware focused so heavily on gameplay prototyping

Another key claim is that The Duskbloods has spent longer in pure gameplay prototyping and validation than any previous FromSoftware project. Multiple outlets highlight this point, framing it as the studio’s most prolonged design phase, focused specifically on the feel of play rather than production polish. For players, that speaks to something important. It suggests that the team was not simply reskinning familiar systems or reusing a standard Soulslike template. Instead, they appear to have spent years breaking and rebuilding loops, enemy behaviors, and player interactions until those pieces clicked into place. When a studio famous for weighty combat and intricate level design decides to linger on prototypes for that long, it usually means they are trying to solve problems that ordinary pipelines cannot handle. You can almost imagine countless internal builds that never left the office, each one slightly different, all in service of a multiplayer structure that feels fresh without losing the studio’s identity.

What a record-breaking prototyping phase suggests for players

For anyone who loves FromSoftware’s games, a record-breaking prototyping phase triggers both excitement and caution. On one hand, it is easy to picture the upside. Years of iteration can lead to combat that feels tighter than ever, enemy encounters that adapt more fluidly to the presence of multiple players, and progression systems that encourage long term engagement without turning into grind for grind’s sake. On the other hand, long design periods can also signal how difficult it is to reconcile new ideas with expectations. The team has to respect what people already love while trying to stretch beyond it, and that balancing act is rarely simple. When rumors talk about developers being genuinely proud of their innovations, it suggests that they believe that effort paid off, but the final judgment will always rest with players once the game is in their hands. Until then, all anyone can do is read between the lines of those prototyping stories and imagine how they might translate into moment to moment play.

Internal playtests and design validation on a new scale

The leak also stresses that The Duskbloods has reportedly gone through more internal testing than any other game at the studio so far. That detail fits naturally with a long prototyping phase. If you are building a multiplayer experience that leans on both PvE and PvP, internal playtests become the laboratory where every interaction is stress tested. Designers need to see how builds break, how teams coordinate, which strategies dominate, and where fights become unfair in ways that feel frustrating rather than thrilling. Extensive internal testing can catch a lot of those issues before public hands ever touch the project, especially when the team is willing to throw out or heavily rework systems that do not survive that pressure. For players, the hope is that this long stretch of validation means fewer rough edges around launch and a stronger base for future balancing updates.

What PvE and PvP might look like in The Duskbloods

Even though there are still no official gameplay trailers that walk through specific systems, the rumor gives some rough shape to what The Duskbloods might be aiming for. Reports describe it as a project that combines PvE and PvP elements, with innovative twists that the developers are said to be especially proud of. That immediately invites comparisons to the studio’s history with invasions, co-op summons, and shared spaces in its earlier games. The difference here is that the entire structure seems built from the ground up around that hybrid identity instead of traditional solo adventures that merely allow other people to step in. Players can reasonably expect enemy encounters designed to react to multiple human participants, objectives that encourage dynamic conflict, and arenas that make sense whether you are fighting alongside allies or clashing against them. Until we see real footage, the specifics will remain guesswork, but the high level aim sounds like a deliberate attempt to push the studio’s online ideas forward rather than simply expanding existing modes.

PvE, PvP and the promise of a shared hunting ground

When you hear PvE and PvP in the same breath, it is easy to picture chaos, yet it can also be one of the most compelling setups a game can offer. In theory, The Duskbloods could position players as hunters or scavengers in a hostile world where the environment itself is lethal and other players are both potential partners and threats. Maybe you track powerful enemies that require coordination to bring down, only to have rival groups swoop in at the last moment. Maybe resource spots become flashpoints, where stealth, timing, and knowledge of the map matter as much as raw stats. This sort of structure rewards adaptability and social awareness, not just mechanical skill. FromSoftware already has a reputation for environments that tell stories through layout, and a shared hunting ground built on that philosophy could become a stage where PvE and PvP blur into a single, unpredictable flow.

How a Switch 2 focus could shape the experience

One recurring detail in coverage is that The Duskbloods is positioned as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, at least at launch, which immediately raises questions about how hardware and network design will influence the experience. Switch 2 is expected to offer stronger performance and more modern infrastructure than its predecessor, which gives FromSoftware more room to push visual clarity, enemy counts, and network features without sacrificing stability. At the same time, designing around a handheld capable machine encourages thinking about session length, connection quality on the go, and how quickly players can jump into meaningful matches. If The Duskbloods leans into shorter, high intensity runs that still feel rewarding, it could fit nicely into the rhythms of portable play. For fans who mostly know the studio through home consoles and PC, seeing how FromSoftware adapts its style to this hybrid context might be one of the most interesting parts of the entire project.

How Elden Ring Nightreign DLC affects The Duskbloods timeline

Any discussion of timing has to factor in Elden Ring Nightreign, which remains a major pillar for both FromSoftware and Bandai Namco. The game is slated to receive a significant DLC called The Forsaken Hollows on December 4, 2025, bringing new bosses, areas, and systems to an already dense experience. Corporate reports and coverage suggest that additional support for Nightreign is expected to continue into early 2026, with guidance pointing toward activity before the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2026. Against that backdrop, it makes perfect sense that marketing leadership would want to avoid cannibalizing attention. If The Duskbloods is also targeting a 2026 window on Switch 2, as multiple reports indicate, then there is a natural desire to let Nightreign have its DLC moment first before rolling out a heavy campaign for the next big project. That is not official policy, but it lines up with how publishers often stagger their pushes around flagship releases.

DLC first, then a marketing push for The Duskbloods

The rumor that the company wants to get Nightreign’s key DLC out before fully ramping up The Duskbloods marketing fits cleanly into this wider pattern. It would allow the studio and publisher to tell a clear story: first, close the loop on Nightreign’s launch era with a major expansion, then invite players to look toward a very different kind of multiplayer experience built on lessons learned. In practice, that might mean a teaser here and there for The Duskbloods while Nightreign DLC talk dominates the stage, followed by a more focused reveal campaign once those updates have landed. For fans who are hungry for news, this staggered approach can feel slow, but it often leads to cleaner messaging. When the spotlight finally swings to The Duskbloods, the hope is that it will not be sharing air time with another massive FromSoftware announcement, which makes it easier to keep every reveal centered on what makes this project unique.

Why so many eyes are on The Game Awards 2025

Given the timing of The Forsaken Hollows DLC and the industry’s habit of using The Game Awards as a showcase, it is no surprise that many players and commentators are treating the 2025 show as a prime candidate for a new look at The Duskbloods. The event sits close to the DLC launch, pulls a huge global audience, and has already been home to several FromSoftware reveals in the past. That combination makes it an easy focal point for speculation. The leak itself does not guarantee that a trailer will appear there, yet the logic is straightforward enough that the idea has spread quickly through fan communities. As always, the healthiest approach is to see such expectations as hopeful guesses rather than promises. If a new trailer appears, it will feel like a major moment that anchors everything we have heard so far. If it does not, the underlying development story will not suddenly disappear, and there will still be other stages for the project to finally show its face.

What The Duskbloods could mean for future FromSoftware projects

Looking beyond the immediate hype, The Duskbloods also raises questions about where FromSoftware wants to go over the next decade. A long running multiplayer project that blends PvE and PvP on a new scale could become a laboratory for ideas that later filter into more traditional adventures. If the studio succeeds in building systems that keep players invested over long stretches without losing the tight focus its games are known for, that balance will be incredibly valuable later. You can imagine future titles borrowing matchmaking tricks, progression models, or encounter structures that were first tested and refined here. Even if The Duskbloods ends up feeling very different from Elden Ring or Sekiro, a lot of the invisible design lessons under the hood will likely echo across whatever comes next. In that sense, the project is not just another entry on a release slate but a sign of how seriously the studio takes innovation on the multiplayer side.

Experimenting now to influence the next decade

FromSoftware has always balanced familiarity and change. Fans can usually count on a certain level of difficulty, precise controls, and intricate world building, yet each new release adds wrinkles that shift how those strengths are expressed. The Duskbloods seems poised to push that pattern further by anchoring experimentation directly in a multiplayer framework. If the rumors about its record prototyping time, extensive internal testing, and ambitious PvE plus PvP design all hold up, then this is where the studio is choosing to spend a lot of its creative energy. That choice alone sends a message. It says that the team does not want to treat multiplayer as an optional layer on top of their work but as a core arena where new ideas can live or die. Whatever ultimately sticks will not just define The Duskbloods, it will shape how designers inside the studio think about challenge, cooperation, and competition for years to come.

Keeping expectations grounded while excitement builds

At the same time, it is important to keep both feet on the ground. Everything we are talking about here is based on unconfirmed details, even if those details come from a source with a positive track record and are echoed by multiple outlets. Until FromSoftware and Bandai Namco decide to show a full trailer, explain systems, and lock in dates, The Duskbloods will remain a blend of facts, hints, and educated guesses. For players, the healthiest stance is to treat the project as something to be curious about rather than something to pin every hope on. Let the rumors set a rough frame, but leave lots of room for surprise. That way, if the final game leans in directions nobody predicted, it can be judged on what it actually delivers instead of how closely it matched early whispers. With so much effort reportedly poured into prototyping and playtesting, the odds are good that there will be plenty to talk about once the studio finally decides to lift the curtain.

Conclusion

Right now, The Duskbloods lives in a strange space where it feels both distant and close. Years of rumored development, a long prototyping phase, and talk of heavy internal testing make it sound like something that has been quietly evolving just out of sight while players focused on other releases. The involvement of a journalist who previously shared accurate Elden Ring information gives the story a backbone, while coverage from multiple outlets reinforces the idea that this is not just a fleeting rumor. At the same time, the lack of official footage means that everything remains fluid. Details around Switch 2 exclusivity, PvE and PvP structure, and the connection to Elden Ring Nightreign’s DLC window all form a picture, but it is still a sketch, not a finished painting. The best approach is to enjoy the anticipation without letting it harden into fixed expectations. If The Duskbloods really is the long running, ambitious multiplayer project described in these reports, then the eventual reveal will have plenty to say for itself. Until then, watching the pieces slowly fall into place is part of the fun of following a studio that rarely stands still.

FAQs
  • Is The Duskbloods officially announced with full details?
    • No, The Duskbloods has not received a full blowout yet. The project is known by name and has been mentioned in coverage, but most of what players discuss comes from a Chinese journalist’s report and the way outlets have summarized those claims. Until FromSoftware and Bandai Namco share a proper trailer and feature breakdown, every detail should be treated as provisional rather than locked in.
  • Has FromSoftware really worked on The Duskbloods since 2019?
    • Multiple reports state that The Duskbloods has been in development since 2019 and was greenlit before Sekiro’s marketing push, suggesting a very long runway. These reports all trace back to the same journalist and their translation, which means they are still technically rumors. They are consistent enough to take seriously, but only an official timeline from the studio can fully confirm them.
  • Is The Duskbloods a PvE, PvP, or hybrid multiplayer game?
    • The current description points to a hybrid structure that blends PvE and PvP, with developers reportedly proud of several innovative twists. That fits with what people might expect from a studio that has already played with invasions and co-op in earlier projects. However, without gameplay footage or official breakdowns, the exact format and flow of matches remain unknown and could still surprise players.
  • Will The Duskbloods trailer appear at The Game Awards 2025?
    • The idea of a The Duskbloods trailer at The Game Awards 2025 comes from timing and tradition rather than direct confirmation. With a major Nightreign DLC arriving in early December and a history of the studio using big shows for reveals, the event looks like a natural fit. Even so, there has been no formal promise, so fans should see this as hopeful speculation, not a guaranteed appearance.
  • How is Elden Ring Nightreign connected to The Duskbloods release plans?
    • Reports suggest that Elden Ring Nightreign is scheduled to receive a substantial DLC in December 2025 and continued support into early 2026. That workload naturally affects when marketing resources can shift toward the next major project. The rumor that The Duskbloods marketing will ramp up after Nightreign’s key DLC beats aligns with how publishers usually sequence their campaigns, even though it has not been formally laid out by Bandai Namco.
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