FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki has revealed that parts of The Duskbloods were shaped by his own experience with tabletop RPGs. He pointed to the game's Virtue system, which rewards players for completing side objectives, defeating mini bosses, or holding zones rather than only winning direct PvP fights, as one example pulled from board games. The second influence is the Sigil system, which creates match-specific relationships between players — for instance, one Sigil lets a player propose to another with a bouquet of flowers, which can be rejected with a sword. Miyazaki said he wanted a system that controls relationships between players in ways that go beyond what a typical tabletop RPG offers.
On matchmaking, Miyazaki said FromSoftware plans to implement a ranked system so that skilled players are matched with other skilled players and newcomers are matched with other newcomers, aiming to prevent new players from being overwhelmed by veterans. He also noted that players can progress and enjoy the game outside of combat through unlockable story content and character customization. Looking further ahead, Miyazaki said the studio is considering ways to build positive connections between veteran and new players, such as rare in-match events tied to playing with long-time players, or an Alliance system where high-ranked players could choose to be paired with newcomers to help them, comparing the idea to leaving summon signs in FromSoftware's other games.
The Duskbloods is structured as an eight-player PvPvE battle royale rather than a straightforward PvP game. Matches unfold across multiple rounds: in the first two rounds, players earn Virtue Points by defeating bosses, collecting points from the map, or taking them from defeated players, with some added events or effects in round two. After round two, the two players with the fewest points are eliminated. A Ritual Site then opens for round three, offering large Virtue Point rewards for defeating other players, after which the bottom three are eliminated. The final three players face off in direct PvP combat, with the last one standing winning the match. Both ranked and casual match options are available.
The game's first closed network test drew heavy player traffic, leading FromSoftware to end that test slot early and issue an apology over server issues. Despite the technical problems, attention shifted to Zork, a playable character notable for its wide-eyed, tongue-out design that stands out from the rest of the game's more serious-looking roster. Zork quickly became a subject of memes and online affection, with players speculating about its true nature — including theories that it may be based on a squid or octopus due to nautical design elements — though its origins remain unconfirmed ahead of launch.
The Duskbloods is currently a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, with no confirmed plans for PC, PlayStation, or Xbox versions. FromSoftware is described as owning the game's intellectual property, unlike Bloodborne, which is owned by Sony and has remained exclusive to PlayStation for over a decade. Comparisons have been drawn to Monster Hunter: Rise, which launched on Switch before later coming to PC and other consoles years afterward, leaving open the possibility that The Duskbloods could eventually expand to other platforms depending on the terms of FromSoftware's agreement with Nintendo.