FromSoftware Announces The Duskbloods Closed Network Test for Summer 2026
This network test gives the public a rare early chance to play a FromSoftware multiplayer title before its full release, a departure from the studio's typical pre-launch secrecy.
Key Facts
- FromSoftware announced a closed network test for The Duskbloods during the June 9, 2026 Nintendo Direct broadcast.
- The test will take place in summer 2026, with specific dates and participation methods not yet announced.
- The Duskbloods is a PvPvE multiplayer action title for up to eight players, first revealed in April 2025.
- Players control Twilight Bloodlines, characters with superhuman blood abilities, and can select from over ten unique characters.
- The game is planned for release on Nintendo Switch 2, with no other platforms confirmed.
Reporting from 5 sources: 4Gamer.net, Denfaminicogamer, Automaton, Game Spark, and 1 more.
FromSoftware announced during the June 9 Nintendo Direct broadcast that a closed network test for its new title The Duskbloods will take place in summer 2026. The game, first revealed in April 2025, is a PvPvE multiplayer action title for up to eight players. Players take on the role of Twilight Bloodlines, characters with superhuman powers gained through special blood abilities, who compete in battles over the First Blood. Over ten unique characters are available, and players can select and customize them at a base before entering online matches. While the last survivor typically wins, victory conditions may shift depending on the match situation. The supported platform is Nintendo Switch 2. Specific test dates, participation methods, and further platform details have not yet been announced. The announcement was accompanied by a new trailer offering a glimpse of the game's world.
The network test announcement was made during the June 9 Nintendo Direct 2026.6.9 broadcast, a showcase that also featured other third-party titles for the Switch 2. FromSoftware first revealed The Duskbloods in April 2025, and since then the studio has released little additional information beyond the core PvPvE concept and a planned 2026 launch window.
The new trailer, which accompanied the test announcement, offers a fresh look at the game's world and characters. The Twilight Bloodlines, the player characters, gain their abilities through special blood powers, a system that appears central to combat and customization. The game supports up to eight players in online matches, with victory conditions that can shift depending on the match situation rather than always requiring a last-survivor outcome.
FromSoftware is known for its single-player action RPGs like Elden Ring and the Dark Souls series. The Duskbloods represents a more focused multiplayer direction for the studio, and the closed network test gives the public an early opportunity to try the game before its full release. Specific test dates, participation methods, and whether additional platforms beyond the Nintendo Switch 2 will be supported have not yet been announced.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 5 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- 4Gamer.net フロム・ソフトウェアの新作「The Duskbloods」，2026年夏にクローズドネットワークテストの実施が決定
- Denfaminicogamer 『The Duskbloods（ダスクブラッド）』クローズドネットワークテストが2026年夏開催へ！人間を超える力を得た「黄昏の血族」が8人集結し、血みどろの戦いを繰り広げる
- Automaton フロム・ソフトウェア新作『ダスクブラッド』クローズドネットワークテスト今夏に開催へ。最大8人PvPvE、フロムの挑戦作をいよいよ遊べるチャンス
- Game Spark フロム新作『ダスクブラッド（The Duskbloods）』ネットワークテストが2026年夏に実施決定！世界観が垣間見える新トレイラーも【Nintendo Direct 2026.6.9】
- Inside フロム新作『ダスクブラッド（The Duskbloods）』ネットワークテストが2026年夏に実施決定！世界観が垣間見える新トレイラーも【Nintendo Direct 2026.6.9】