FromSoftware held a closed network test for The Duskbloods, its upcoming Switch 2-exclusive multiplayer game from director Hidetaka Miyazaki, over a recent weekend. The test was limited to one map, six playable characters (Albert, Bloodhand Jan, Trang Lanh, Sniper Layla, Senator Samir Patres, and Zork), solo queue only, and no build customization, according to PC Gamer and Kotaku. GamesRadar+ reported that the test's first planned session was disrupted by connection issues before players were able to get into matches.
Multiple outlets compared the game's structure to Elden Ring Nightreign: players spend several rounds killing enemies, collecting a resource called Virtue, and leveling up NPC allies called Kin, before a final PvP showdown among the last players standing. GamesRadar+ described the mechanics as combining PvP and PvE with 'board game-like mechanics,' while PC Gamer likened the loop to a MOBA built around farming creeps to prepare for a final fight. Kotaku noted the full game is expected to launch with three maps and ten characters, more than were available in the test.
Coverage of the test was largely critical. GamesRadar+ reported framerate dips, latency issues that undermined hit registration, and a jerky camera, calling the PvP 'less like FromSoftware PvP and more like Beyblade' and saying alliances could create unbalanced 2v1 situations. PC Gamer also cited 'borderline unplayable input lag' in both docked and handheld modes and said PvP felt low-risk, low-reward for most of a match. In a separate piece, Kotaku's writer described losing repeatedly and finding little reward for PvP encounters outside specific ritual sites, and said matches began to feel repetitive after several hours with only one map and limited enemies and bosses available.
Despite these criticisms, reviewers pointed to elements they found appealing, including the game's fast movement (quadruple jumps and air dashes), its varied character kits, the Kin companion system, and its visual and atmospheric design. PC Gamer said the Kin felt like smarter, permanent versions of Elden Ring's Spirit Ash summons, though sometimes disruptive during stealth attempts. Kotaku's second report also praised the movement, character abilities, and visual design even while criticizing the PvP-heavy later rounds.
One character in particular, Zork, a sea-dwelling, bird-like figure in an armored dive suit, drew significant attention. According to Kotaku, Miyazaki said Zork was inspired by Ultraman and Ultra Seven and was designed to break from traditional Victorian Gothic vampire aesthetics; Zork drinks blood through an extending beak 'like a mosquito' in a victory cutscene. In a separate briefing reported by GamesRadar+, Miyazaki said the game's characters, called Bloodsworn rather than vampires, are meant to convey intelligence, philosophy, culture, and history, and that Zork exemplifies a broader, less traditional approach to character design.
GamesRadar+ reported that FromSoftware producer Yasuhiro Kitao said applications for The Duskbloods' closed network test exceeded those for Nightreign, despite the game being limited to the single-platform Switch 2, though Kitao said the studio still expects Nightreign, available on more platforms, to have more players at launch. PC Gamer noted that Miyazaki's comments about Nintendo's involvement being pivotal to the project raised doubts about whether the game would ever come to PC. No release date has been announced beyond a general window of sometime this year.