FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki has addressed concerns about The Duskbloods‘ skill-based matchmaking, confirming that the studio plans to generally match players against others with similar levels of experience. The Switch 2’s upcoming The Duskbloods represents a major multiplayer experiment for FromSoftware, with as many as eight Bloodsworn competing through a mixture of PvP combat, PvE encounters, objectives, and temporary alliances.
Given the new PvPvE route the studio is taking with The Duskbloods, that structure leaves plenty of room for players to improve substantially with experience. Learning efficient routes, understanding each Bloodsworn, recognizing events, and figuring out the fastest ways to earn Virtue could eventually give longtime players a major advantage over someone picking up the game months later. Some early community discussion has already centered on that possibility, with prospective players wondering whether particularly skilled competitors could eventually dominate The Duskbloods multiplayer.
The Duskbloods Matchmaking Will Account for Player Skill
Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed in an interview with IGN that FromSoftware has already considered the potential problem and intends to use a ranked matchmaking system in the final product. According to Miyazaki, “players who are really good tend to be matched with other players who are great,” while newcomers should generally encounter other new players. The goal is to prevent inexperienced players from routinely being thrown into matches against veterans who already understand the game’s systems. FromSoftware has separately confirmed that The Duskbloods ranked matches will include leaderboards and a seasonal structure, although the exact details are still being worked out.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
Winning also will not be the only way to make meaningful progress. The director explained that Duskbloods players can unlock story content and character customization simply by continuing to play, allowing them to enjoy the world even if they don’t consistently survive until the end of a match. The Duskbloods also reduces the importance of pure mechanical skill through its Virtue system, since PvP is only one way of earning the points needed to advance. FromSoftware hopes players can initially focus on the story and their characters before gradually becoming more interested in mastering PvP.
Interestingly, FromSoftware may eventually go further than simply keeping beginners and veterans apart in The Duskbloods. Miyazaki says the studio is considering future systems that could make an experienced player beneficial to newcomers, such as increasing the likelihood of rare events when veterans are present or allowing highly ranked players to prioritize alliances with beginners. The concept remains tentative and is not confirmed for launch, but the goal is for experienced players to be appreciated rather than simply feared by beginners. This approach would fit naturally with the unusual social interactions that have long been part of FromSoftware multiplayer games.
Skill-based matchmaking remains contentious in competitive games, since protecting beginners can also leave experienced players feeling as though every match demands their full attention. The Duskbloods complicates that debate because winning doesn’t revolve entirely around defeating other players, and its mix of PvP, PvE, strategy, and role-playing leaves room for different definitions of skill. FromSoftware will still need to find the right balance, particularly once experienced players begin optimizing builds and strategies. Still, Miyazaki’s comments suggest the studio is already thinking beyond The Duskbloods‘ launch and considering how the game can remain welcoming after its community has had months to master it.
- Released
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2026
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Number of Players
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1-8 players
