[UPDATE] It seems like the launch date of The Duskbloods was an error made by The Guardian's editor .
[ORIGINAL STORY] The release date of FromSoftware 's hotly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, The Duskbloods , might have been just "leaked" by The Guardian. In their preview of the game, they added at the very end that it will be available from September 24 . If confirmed, it would put The Duskbloods right up against big titles like Remedy's Control Resonant and Konami's Silent Hill: Townfall , although, admittedly, neither will be releasing on the Nintendo Switch 2 at that time.
Today also brought the first wave of official hands-on previews, courtesy of outlets including Game Informer and CGMagonline , both of whom traveled to FromSoftware's Tokyo offices ahead of the network test.
Matches, called Dusk Battles , pit eight players against each other across four timed Phases , with the last player standing winning. Progress is measured through a resource called Virtue , earned by defeating enemies and bosses, exploring the map, or racing rivals to one-time pickups called Flame Virtue. Character-specific optional objectives called Sigils offer alternate ways to earn Virtue, including, bizarrely, a Sigil of Love that tasks players with proposing marriage to a designated rival. Players can also form temporary Alliances with others mid-match , or queue directly into a dedicated Duos Mode. Summonable AI companions called Kin (accessed via map portals and comparable to Elden Ring's Spirit Ashes ) level up as they fight alongside their summoner.
Of the 10-plus Bloodsworn playable characters planned for launch, six were playable in this build, including Albert (dual sabers and an SMG), Zork (a slow, heavy tank), and Senator Samir Patres , who can transform into a T-Rex-like dinosaur. The build's sole map, Lowarno City , is one of three planned for the finished game and reportedly emphasizes verticality across a cathedral, cave network, and poisonous marsh.
Game Director Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed private lobbies will be available for playing with friends, and detailed how the story will be delivered outside combat: through an NPC in the House of Night hub, and through a Bloodlines customization system that unlocks character history and relationships as players use each Bloodsworn more.
Speaking to IGN, Miyazaki-san also revealed that the player onboarding process is being refined with Nintendo's help. Earlier today, footage from a video preview leaked , showing more of The Duskbloods ahead of the Closed Network Test that kicks off tomorrow and runs through the whole weekend.
About the author : With over two decades of experience in gaming journalism, Alessio Palumbo has led the gaming vertical at Wccftech since August 2015. He started working at a young age for Italian websites like Everyeye.it, Gamestar.it, Nextgame.it, and Multiplayer.it before kickstarting the indie English-language publication Worlds Factory as its founder and Editor in Chief. In the last decade, he has coordinated the overall output of Wccftech's gaming section, managed PR relations, assigned reviews, produced daily news coverage, edited gaming content as needed, and delivered game reviews. Arguably, his trademark content is the long series of exclusive developer interviews that have been cited by Wikipedia and by the biggest news media and gaming publications. His passion for technology also makes him knowledgeable when it comes to gaming hardware and tech. His favorite genres include RPGs, MMORPGs, and action/adventure games.
Follow Wccftech on Google to get more of our news coverage in your feeds.