The Duskbloods Looks Cool, But I’m Still Banking On FromSoft Making Another 2026 Game

The Duskbloods is a new IP from FromSoftware that is exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2. It seems to be a multiplayer experience that will presumably require Nintendo Switch Online. The Duskbloods is clearly a big game for the developer, but it's hard to believe this is its only title coming next year.

There's not much information given about The Duskbloods, but while it was announced alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 release date, it won't come out until 2026. However, I don't think FromSoftware is just going to ignore other consoles. I believe The Duskbloods is one of two games coming out of FromSoftware in 2026.

Duskbloods Is Another Multiplayer FromSoft Game

It's Not The First, But It Is Likely Going To Be The Biggest

The Duskbloods is a big change for FromSoft, the studio famous for tough, primarily single-player games like Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Bloodborne. This time, the company is making a multiplayer game where players fight both each other and computer-controlled enemies at the same time. The short teaser trailer and press release give us some interesting hints about how it might play but also that it's exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2.

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The PvPvE style sounds like a combination of features from other Souls games, but that's an assumption because it's FromSoftware. According to an interview with Nintendo, The Duskbloods director Hidetaka Miyazaki asserts that the game is heavily focused on its online multiplayer. It's so far unknown if it's exclusively multiplayer.

The trailer has a dark, moody feel, with visuals that call back to Bloodborne’s Gothic horror style, though the exact setting is still unclear. Quick shots show massive, eerie buildings and unsettling landscapes, pointing to a grim and immersive world. The characters aren’t fully shown, but their designs seem to follow FromSoftware’s usual style, with a mix heavily armored warriors carrying huge weapons and more agile counterparts. The overall vibe is bleak and intense, which pretty much keeps to the studio’s usual art style for its games.

Moving into multiplayer is a risky move for FromSoftware. The developer's reputation comes from its carefully designed single-player worlds and satisfying but difficult combat. Sure, many fans are excited to see the studio try something new, but stepping away from what made FromSoftware famous could backfire. The success of The Duskbloods will depend on how well competitive and cooperative gameplay blend. It takes a lot of work to make sure neither the PvP nor the PvE parts feel unbalanced or overshadow the other.

FromSoft Tends To Have Regular Releases

You Can Set A Schedule For The Company

Duskbloods someone with a hat covering their face

FromSoftware is famous for making difficult and highly praised action RPGs, which were not multiplayer games like The Duskbloods (tough they typcially feature co-op and PvP to a lesser degree). Over the last ten years, the company has had a pretty steady pattern for releasing games. Looking at its biggest titles in the so-called Soulsborne catalog, the developer usually puts out one major title every two to three years, with a few exceptions here and there.

This pattern started to become clear with Dark Souls in 2011, followed by Dark Souls 2 in 2014, and Dark Souls 3 in 2016. Bloodborne came out in 2015 to break the usual Dark Souls rhythm, and Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice took its time with a release in 2019. More recently, Elden Ring came out in 2022, again after about three years, which fits with the usual release spacing. Elden Ring's major DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree, followed in 2024.

Putting out a single-player game while interest is still high could help FromSoft make more money and keep fans excited.

Of course, surprises like sudden announcements or delays can always happen in the gaming industry, but based on its history, another big FromSoftware game may show up in 2026 or 2027. It's hard to believe the company doesn't have another single-player game or expansion ready to go when it's been this consistent for this many years. I would say that it's a good idea to keep an eye out, just because there might be more that the company isn't telling players.

When FromSoft Could Release Another Single-Player Game

If It's Coming, It Will Be Soon

Duskbloods player looking down the way at someone at the doorway

The announcement of The Duskbloods is obviously one of the biggest reveals from the Nintendo Direct 2 Direct. While it sounds like it's going to be the main game offered by FromSoftware, the studio could possibly release a single-player game in 2026 based on how the previous years of development have gone. While The Duskbloods is a big shift for the company, there’s still a chance it could put out a single-player game the same year.

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There are a few reasons why this might happen. FromSoftware has worked on multiple projects at once before, so it may be capable of delivering two different games in one year. The fact that FromSoftware is releasing Elden RingNightreign this year supports the idea that the company may have more to roll out next year. Nightreign was pitched internally and is being overseen by a new director, Junya Ishizaki, with presumably a smaller development team since so many of its assets have been flipped from previous games.

FromSoft might make a sequel to a popular series and come out with Dark Souls 4 or Bloodborne 2,because these games have a huge fanbase. On the other hand, the studio could create a brand-new game, giving it a chance to try something different and bring in new players. However, this would be riskier since players might not connect with an unfamiliar game right away.

Releasing two games in one year could make sense for business reasons. Elden Ring has brought newfound prominence to the beloved developer, and its RPGs are held in high esteem. Putting out a single-player game while interest is still high could help FromSoft make more money and keep fans excited. The studio might also space out the releases, letting one game build hype for the other so it doesn't flood the market at once.

Whether this actually happens depends on how much FromSoftware can handle and what it thinks will work best. In that same interview with Nintendo, Miyazaki assures fans that FromSoftware still has a keen interest in developing single-player games. Given its track record, and the relatively sparse year with just Nightreign, a new single-player game coming in the same year as The Duskbloods isn't impossible.

Source: Nintendo