When Nintendo announced that FromSoftware would be launching a new game on the upcoming Switch 2 console, it definitely got my attention, as well as that of millions of other fans. It wasn’t enough that this game looks closer to Bloodborne than any game we’ve gotten since Bloodborne, but then they dropped the coup de grace: It’s a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive.
The Duskbloods wasn’t my favorite reveal from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct showcase, but it sure as heck might have been the most consequential one. FromSoftware? Putting their newest game exclusively on Nintendo’s soon-to-launch platform? Easily one of the most anticipated console releases of all time? It sounds like a match made in heaven, and it might have just scored Nintendo big points with undecided buyers ahead of Switch 2’s release.
Setting the table before the next hunt
Bloodborne came out in 2015. It is, as of this writing, still exclusive to PlayStation 4. That also means that while it is one of most beloved entries in the FromSoftware catalogue, it also runs at 30 frames per second and is starting to get just a little bit long in the tooth visually compared to FromSoft’s recent game. Players have long asked PlayStation to release Bloodborne from its PS4 prison and do a remaster of the game for other consoles like PC, PS5, and Xbox One. Sony has yet to relent, and it seems part of that is because Hidetaka Miyazaki feels that Bloodborne is precious and if a return to it happened, he’d want to be involved, as shared by former PlayStation Indies lead Shuhei Yoshida on the Kinda Funny Gamescast. It seems Bloodborne is still fated to remain locked away in the PS4 library.
Fast forward. We finally arrived at the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct showcase day. So much was revealed, including the Switch 2’s price and release date. However, the one that caught millions of peoples’ attention in one fell swoop was the game featuring gothic architecture, somber warriors, eldritch imagery, and vampiric powers. We’re talking The Duskbloods, of course, from FromSoftware, and coming exclusively to the Switch 2 in 2026.
I would be hard-pressed to imagine a greater one-two punch that Nintendo could have loaded into their Direct than this short of outright giving the latest Call of Duty or Doom: The Dark Ages a release date on the platform. A FromSoftware game comes with high expectations, but it is undoubtedly the way to many players’ hearts (and wallets) and Nintendo just teased them with the possibility of something for which they’ve begged for years. And now it will be dangling in front of them like a carrot leading to the Switch 2.
A union of extraordinary power
Source: Nintendo
I’m not actually wild about The Duskbloods being exclusive to Nintendo Switch. That means PC players will once again be pining for a release that likely doesn’t come quickly after the initial 2026 launch. That’s a shame for the players. However, it’s hard to deny the golden opportunity that has been assembled for Nintendo here. FromSoftware games have increasingly sold millions of copies with each new release. The original Bloodborne sold over 7.6 million copies as of 2023, according to Game World Observer. Dark Souls 3 sold over 10 million by 2020 after launching in 2016, according to PCGamesN. Elden Ring had sold over 20 million copies by the time Shadow of the Erdtree was announced and has sold millions more since. Even a more niche title like Armored Core 6 broke 3 million units in July 2024, following its 2023 launch, according to Forbes.
The fact is this: FromSoftware fans show up for their favorite dev in droves, and FromSoftware has given them great game after great game for years for their loyalty. So, what happens when you put a new FromSoftware game that looks like a beloved older FromSoftware game behind console exclusivity? Well, I guarantee that after today, many of those fans are thinking about how to get a Nintendo Switch 2 by 2026. In fact, I know they are because I’ve already seen it today. This was a slam dunk for Nintendo because now millions of potential players that may have been undecided on the Switch 2 (especially given the hefty price tag for console and games) now have a decision to make next year. There’s a very strong chance they’ll choose to follow FromSoftware to the Switch 2.
— グリ男 (@guriomatchboxxx) April 2, 2025
Of course, the work isn’t done. Nintendo and, especially, FromSoftware still have a lot to show us before this game comes out next year. According to Nintendo, The Duskbloods is a multiplayer-focused PvPvE experience for up to 8 players. We don’t know much more other than we play as the “Bloodsworn,” who use strength imbued by their special blood to hunt a prize known as the “First Blood”. It kind of sounds like FromSoftware’s fantasy-styled multiplayer-focused game, Elden Ring: Nightreign.
We need to see more of what Duskbloods plays like. The trailer gave us a glimpse of vampiric looking abilities like biting a victim and turning them into a mist of power that we consume. There were also mountain towns, cities with gothic towers, and ethereal underground caves to explore. It also looks like there will be firearms and steampunk weaponry, not the least of which was a full-metal jetpack suit. But will this have a story? Will it be class-based like Nightreign? Is it entirely multiplayer segments that must be played with others? How Bloodborne is it and how much does it set itself apart? There are so many questions right now that don’t have answers… but FromSoftware has a year and then some to provide those answers, and we feel confident they will.
The First Blood beckons
Perhaps most importantly, a lot of FromSoftware fans have that hook in them now. If this ends up looking like another banger over the next year, then it will only solidify the need for a Switch 2 on gaming shelves throughout 2025. And this is on top of an already strong-looking console showcase. Nintendo didn’t need Duskbloods for the Switch 2 to be successful. There was so much in the Direct that told me they’re going to be fine. That said, having millions of people thinking about how much they want to follow FromSoftware to a console exclusive title is a factor that can’t be denied. If the Nintendo Switch 2 wasn’t already ready firing on all cylinders between things like Donkey Kong Bananza and Mario Kart World, then the hype can now be considered in overdrive following The Duskbloods’ announcement. Stay tuned, because we’ll be watching like hawks for more updates and details on the game as they drop.
The Nintendo Switch 2 is slated for release on June 5, 2025, and The Duskbloods is coming exclusively to Switch 2 in 2026.
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replyTJ Denzer posted a new article, The Duskbloods could be an injection of FOMO that benefits the Switch 2
