Why The Duskbloods Became a Switch 2 Exclusive, According to Hidetaka Miyazaki

The relationship also goes beyond simply choosing a platform. Miyazaki says Nintendo has provided feedback, additional ideas, and help with balancing and onboarding as the team works through a ruleset he describes as unusually complex.

It started as an original Switch project

Although The Duskbloods is now marketed as a Switch 2 exclusive, Miyazaki says it was first being developed by a small team for the original Nintendo Switch. As the game began to take shape, Nintendo introduced the team to Switch 2, leading FromSoftware to revise its development path around the newer system.

The shift was therefore not just a late decision to move an existing game to a new console. The project’s online-focused design made Switch 2 a better fit for the team’s ambitions, and the hardware transition gave FromSoftware a reason to expand the game rather than preserve the smaller original concept.

Nintendo and FromSoftware have officially positioned the game as a worldwide 2026 release for Nintendo Switch 2. The announcement still does not include a specific launch date.

What kind of game is The Duskbloods?

The Duskbloods is a PvPvE online action game. In practical terms, players must deal with both AI-controlled enemies and rival human players during the same broader match. The format differs from the studio’s familiar linear campaign structure by making competition, cooperation, and changing objectives central to the experience.

Miyazaki has also said the project gives FromSoftware a place to use ideas that could not be fully incorporated into Demon’s Souls and the Dark Souls series. Those earlier games included distinctive online elements, but the studio accumulated additional concepts that needed a different structure.

Tabletop role-playing games were another influence. Their emphasis on character roles, distinct abilities, and emergent interactions helped shape the way The Duskbloods approaches multiplayer encounters. The result is intended to be demanding in a different context: players are not only learning enemy patterns, but also adapting to other people and to the changing conditions of a match.

What the leaked gameplay footage shows

An unauthorized video of roughly two minutes surfaced online shortly before the closed Network Test. Reports identify the footage as a “Moon Blood Bestowal” scenario, showing players battling AI enemies before a late-match confrontation between the remaining competitors.

The clip appears to feature:

• Fast melee combat
• Character classes or distinct player abilities
• Aerial movement and attacks
• Battles against AI-controlled creatures
• A final arena-style clash involving the surviving players

The footage is useful as an early indication of the game’s competitive structure, but it should not be treated as a complete or final gameplay presentation. It was leaked before the Network Test, and mechanics, balance, visual effects, and interface details may still change.

Release, publishing, and regional sales

The current plan is for The Duskbloods to launch worldwide in 2026, exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2. Nintendo’s official product listing also identifies FromSoftware as the developer and publisher listing for the game, while Kadokawa’s corporate announcement describes it as published by Nintendo and FromSoftware.

Kadokawa has said the title will be sold on a joint basis with Nintendo, with sales responsibilities divided by region. That confirms a coordinated Nintendo–FromSoftware arrangement, but it does not provide a launch date or additional release-window detail beyond 2026.

What to expect from the August Network Test

The closed Global Network Test is scheduled to run intermittently from August 21 through August 24, 2026, rather than operating continuously across the entire period. Selected applicants have received download codes, and participation is limited to Nintendo Switch 2.

The test is expected to support matches of up to eight players, making it an important opportunity to evaluate the game’s online systems before launch. Because this is a test build, it should be viewed primarily as a way to assess connectivity, matchmaking, performance, and the feel of the core multiplayer loop—not as a complete preview of the finished game.

Is a Gamescom showcase confirmed?

Not yet. The Network Test takes place shortly before Gamescom, and that timing has prompted speculation that more footage, previews, or a showcase could appear during the event. However, the available reporting does not establish a specific confirmed Gamescom presentation.

For now, the confirmed milestones are the August Network Test and the worldwide 2026 release window. The clearest explanation for the Switch 2 exclusivity is Miyazaki’s account of the project’s development: Nintendo responded positively to an unconventional FromSoftware idea, the game began on the original Switch, and the move to Switch 2 allowed its online-focused vision to grow into something much more ambitious.