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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteThe closest game to The Duskbloods is Elden Ring: Nightreign if you want repeatable FromSoftware multiplayer sessions. Choose Elden Ring for the studio’s broadest combat and exploration, Bloodborne for gothic blood-horror atmosphere, Dark Souls III for focused Souls progression, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice for precise duels, or Hunt: Showdown and Escape from Tarkov for high-stakes PvPvE tension.
The Duskbloods is planned as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive for 2026. Nintendo describes online battles involving up to eight players, with both player-versus-player and player-versus-enemy play. Its launch day, price, complete playable roster and relationship to Bloodborne remain unconfirmed in the official material available so far.
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What The Duskbloods is—and what is still unknown
The Duskbloods is a new online multiplayer action game from FromSoftware, planned for worldwide release on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026. Nintendo’s product description presents players as “Bloodsworn of Dusk,” supernatural beings empowered by blood, entering online battles of up to eight players. Nintendo’s Creator’s Voice material further identifies both PvP and PvE as central parts of the design.
That makes the game’s confirmed identity narrower than many fan comparisons suggest. It is not officially announced as Bloodborne 2, and no official announcement places it in Bloodborne’s setting. The available information also does not promise a solo mode, state a final character count, give network requirements, publish a price or name a specific release day. Treat every game below as a comparison by mood, combat or multiplayer format—not as a confirmed influence.
#1 Best Overall
- The next evolution of Nintendo Switch
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Dock that supports 4K when connected to a compatible TV*
- GameChat** lets you voice chat, share your game screen, and connect via video chat as you play
Choose your waiting game by the experience you want
| If you want… | Start with… | Why |
|---|---|---|
| The closest multiplayer structure | Elden Ring: Nightreign | Repeatable expeditions, FromSoftware combat and pressure from both cooperation and competition. |
| The fullest modern FromSoftware introduction | Elden Ring | A large world, flexible builds and the broadest opportunity to learn the studio’s current combat language. |
| Gothic blood-horror atmosphere | Bloodborne | The strongest match for the blood-soaked, decaying visual mood suggested by The Duskbloods. |
| Compact, boss-led Souls progression | Dark Souls III | A focused medieval-gothic journey with direct lineage to the combat tradition FromSoftware is known for. |
| Parries, aggression and mobility | Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | Its demanding timing and vertical movement sharpen mechanical skills, even though it is primarily solo. |
| Dangerous PvPvE matches | Hunt: Showdown | AI enemies, rival players, information management and the possibility of losing a valuable run. |
| Maximum extraction risk | Escape from Tarkov | A tense PvPvE format where survival and getting out matter more than simply winning a fight. |
Elden Ring: Nightreign — the closest structural match
Why it belongs first
Nightreign is the best first choice when your question is, “What can I play that resembles the way The Duskbloods might be played?” It uses a multiplayer-oriented loop built around short, repeatable expeditions rather than asking you to complete one uninterrupted solo campaign. That makes it a useful bridge to a game advertised around online battles and mixed PvP/PvE pressure.
You get the recognizable FromSoftware foundation—readable attack patterns, punishing mistakes, meaningful build choices and enemies that demand attention—inside sessions designed to be replayed. Cooperation is valuable, but other players and the wider expedition situation create pressure that prevents every encounter from becoming a routine co-op stroll.
What to compare, and what not to assume
- Comparable: online-first play, repeatable sessions, build decisions and the way enemy encounters can complicate player conflict.
- Not established: that Nightreign’s exact rules, map structure, objectives or team format will carry over to The Duskbloods.
- Best for: readers who want a practical multiplayer warm-up rather than a lore or atmosphere match.
Play Nightreign when you want to understand how FromSoftware combat feels under time, team and encounter pressure. Do not use it as proof that The Duskbloods will be an identical expedition game; Nintendo has confirmed only the broad PvP/PvE multiplayer format and an upper limit of eight players.
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Elden Ring — the best broad combat and exploration substitute
Why it is the safest all-around recommendation
Elden Ring is the strongest choice for learning the modern FromSoftware vocabulary before The Duskbloods arrives. Its large world gives you room to test weapons, spells, defensive tools and different approaches to hostile encounters. You can learn at your own pace, leave a difficult fight, change your build and return with a new plan.
That flexibility matters because The Duskbloods’ final progression system has not been detailed. Elden Ring lets you sample the decisions likely to matter in any action game from the studio: when to commit to an attack, how to recognize a delayed strike, when to retreat, how equipment changes a character and how exploration rewards patience.
Where the comparison ends
Elden Ring is primarily a solo adventure with optional multiplayer elements, not an eight-player PvPvE game. Its enormous world and campaign progression also create a different rhythm from a title built around online battles. Choose it for combat literacy, build experimentation and exploration—not because it reproduces The Duskbloods’ session design.
Who should start here
- Newcomers who want time to learn FromSoftware fundamentals without relying on a team.
- Players who enjoy experimenting with several character concepts before choosing a preferred style.
- Readers who want a substantial game that can occupy them for a long wait, rather than a short competitive loop.
Bloodborne — the strongest gothic blood-horror mood match
Why the atmosphere feels relevant
Bloodborne is the natural recommendation for anyone drawn to The Duskbloods’ blood-centered imagery, supernatural characters and gothic presentation. Its world is steeped in diseased grandeur, nightmarish transformations, ruined architecture and a constant sense that violence has changed the people and places around you.
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1Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute2Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems3Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesIts combat also rewards forward momentum. Rather than treating defense as the only safe answer, Bloodborne encourages players to regain lost health by attacking decisively after taking damage. That aggressive rhythm is a useful preparation for any action game that expects confidence, spacing and rapid decisions.
Important expectation setting
The resemblance is tonal, not a confirmed story connection. Official announcements describe The Duskbloods as a new multiplayer action game and do not call it Bloodborne 2 or place it in Bloodborne’s universe. Bloodborne is primarily a solo experience, so it cannot stand in for the announced eight-player format.
Rank #2
- The next evolution of the Nintendo Switch system
- One system, three play modes: TV, Tabletop, and Handheld
- Larger, vivid, 7.9” LCD touch screen with support for HDR and up to 120 fps
- Supports up to 4K resolution** when using a compatible game and TV connected via the included Nintendo Switch 2 dock
- Nintendo Switch 2 plays compatible physical and digital Nintendo Switch games.***
Choose Bloodborne when art direction, sound, enemy design and blood-horror mood matter more to you than matching the multiplayer rules. If you do not have access to the platform on which Bloodborne is available, the next closest atmosphere-focused option in this list is Dark Souls III.
Dark Souls III — focused gothic Souls combat
Why it is the best compact bridge
Dark Souls III offers a more concentrated route through the medieval-gothic side of FromSoftware’s design. Its progression is comparatively focused, with a strong emphasis on dangerous areas, memorable bosses, weapon movesets and the gradual mastery of a linked series of challenges.
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Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsFix Now →Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →For a reader who wants to understand the studio’s historical combat lineage without committing to Elden Ring’s huge open world, it is an efficient choice. Attacks are deliberate, stamina and positioning matter, and every new region asks you to apply what you learned in the previous one.
Its limits as a Duskbloods substitute
Dark Souls III does not provide The Duskbloods’ announced eight-player PvPvE premise. Its medieval setting and campaign progression also differ from the supernatural online battle concept Nintendo has described. Consider it a focused combat and tone comparison, not a multiplayer rehearsal.
- Pick it for: boss-centered progression, dark medieval atmosphere and classic Souls pacing.
- Skip it for now if: your priority is run-based online play or high-stakes matches against other players.
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice — precision, parries and mobility
What it teaches especially well
Sekiro is the right answer when the part of The Duskbloods that interests you is not the multiplayer format but the possibility of demanding, expressive action combat. Its central lessons are timing, posture control, aggressive pressure, parrying and the use of vertical movement to change an encounter.
It asks you to respond to attacks rather than hide behind a broad collection of interchangeable defensive options. Repeated practice makes enemy animations easier to read, and success comes from maintaining control of a duel instead of waiting indefinitely for a safe opening.
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Why the multiplayer comparison is weak
Sekiro is primarily a solo game. It has no equivalent to Nintendo’s announced online battles of up to eight players, so its value here is mechanical. Play it if you want sharper reactions and confidence in close-range exchanges; do not choose it expecting a preview of The Duskbloods’ social or competitive systems.
Hunt: Showdown — high-stakes PvPvE tension outside the Souls formula
Why it is useful despite the different combat
Hunt: Showdown is a strong non-Souls comparison because it captures the emotional structure of a dangerous PvPvE match. You enter a hostile environment containing AI threats, gather information, contend with rival players and decide how much risk to accept before trying to leave with the results of your run.
That creates a different kind of suspense from a traditional boss fight. The enemy you can see may not be the most immediate danger; sound, timing, incomplete information and the possibility of another player arriving at the worst moment can matter just as much as raw aim or reaction speed.
Rank #3
- 【Ultimate Nintendo Switch 2 Bundle – Ready to Play】Includes the complete Nintendo Switch 2 console and a full-game download of Mario Kart World, so you can start racing right out of the box. Perfect for gamers of all ages and playstyles.
- 【Next-Gen Hybrid Gaming with Stunning Visuals】Experience a vivid 7.9‑inch 1080p LCD touchscreen with HDR support, and enjoy 4K TV output at up to 60 fps when docked — for immersive gameplay at home or on the go.
- 【Versatile 3 Play Modes】Seamlessly switch between Handheld, Tabletop, and TV modes — all featuring intuitive controls and smooth performance, wherever you choose to play.
- 【Enhanced Social Gaming with GameChat & Multiplayer】Connect with friends locally, enjoy online multiplayer with up to 24 players, and use voice chat via GameChat (internet connection and Nintendo Switch Online membership required after trial period).
- 【Powerful Storage & Joy‑Con 2 Controllers】Includes 256 GB internal storage (expandable with microSD), magnetic Joy‑Con 2 controllers, docking station, HDMI cable, AC adapter, grip, and straps — everything you need for the ultimate gaming setup.
Keep the comparison precise
Hunt: Showdown is grounded, firearm-focused and built around extraction-style stakes. The Duskbloods is presented as a supernatural action game from the creators associated with Dark Souls and Elden Ring. There is no official statement that Hunt inspired it, and its systems should not be treated as a forecast of Nintendo’s game.
Choose Hunt when your priority is the tension of sharing a dangerous match with AI enemies and human opponents. Choose Nightreign instead when you want that pressure expressed through FromSoftware-style melee combat and character builds.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Escape from Tarkov — an optional choice for maximum extraction pressure
What it contributes
Escape from Tarkov belongs in a separate category because its realism and extraction structure are far removed from gothic fantasy. It is relevant if the phrase “PvPvE” makes you think first of valuable runs, uncertain information, limited supplies and the fear that one mistake can erase what you carried into a session.
The game’s pressure comes from deciding when to engage, when to stay hidden and when to leave. Other players are threats, but so are the environment, AI opponents and the consequences of carrying more progress into danger.
Why it is not a genre twin
Do not buy or install Tarkov expecting Souls combat, supernatural abilities or a direct preview of The Duskbloods. Use it as a format comparison only. Its realism, equipment economy and extraction rules differ sharply from the fantasy action lineage Nintendo has identified for The Duskbloods.
How the games compare across the traits that matter
| Game | Combat emphasis | Multiplayer model | Atmosphere | Progression shape | Best reason to play while waiting |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Elden Ring: Nightreign | FromSoftware action combat with build choices | Online expeditions with cooperative and competitive pressure | Dark fantasy | Repeatable session-based play | Closest documented structural comparison |
| Elden Ring | Deliberate melee, magic, ranged tools and build experimentation | Primarily solo with optional multiplayer | Dark fantasy and open-world ruin | Persistent character and world progression | Learn the broadest modern FromSoftware toolkit |
| Bloodborne | Aggressive melee timing and recovery through offense | Primarily solo with multiplayer elements | Gothic blood horror | Persistent campaign progression | Match the blood-soaked gothic mood |
| Dark Souls III | Focused Souls timing, stamina and boss learning | Primarily solo with multiplayer elements | Medieval gothic fantasy | Compact campaign progression | Experience the clearest historical combat bridge |
| Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice | Parries, posture, precision and mobility | Primarily solo | Mythic, war-torn Japan | Persistent campaign progression | Improve reaction and duel fundamentals |
| Hunt: Showdown | Firearms, positioning and information management | PvPvE matches with extraction risk | Grounded horror | Run-based risk and rewards | Feel the danger of sharing a hostile match |
| Escape from Tarkov | Realistic firearms and survival decisions | PvPvE extraction sessions | Grounded survival | Risk-based extraction progression | Test whether extraction pressure is your priority |
A practical play order for different kinds of fans
If you want the most relevant preparation
- Start with Elden Ring: Nightreign to experience a FromSoftware multiplayer loop built around repeatable expeditions.
- Move to Elden Ring if you want more time to test builds, weapons and exploration without the pressure of a shared session.
- Use Sekiro for a focused period of timing and parry practice before returning to a multiplayer game.
If atmosphere is your main reason for following The Duskbloods
- Play Bloodborne for the strongest gothic blood-horror match.
- Continue with Dark Souls III for a medieval-gothic setting and more traditional Souls progression.
- Try Elden Ring if you want that dark fantasy language expanded into a much larger world.
If the word PvPvE matters more than the Souls label
- Choose Hunt: Showdown for a readable, high-tension comparison built around AI enemies and rival players.
- Choose Escape from Tarkov if you specifically want severe extraction risk and survival decisions.
- Return to Elden Ring: Nightreign when you want those social pressures combined with FromSoftware combat and builds.
Platform and waiting-plan considerations
The Duskbloods requires Nintendo Switch 2 because Nintendo and FromSoftware have identified it as a Switch 2 exclusive. The alternatives are spread across different console and PC ecosystems, and availability can depend on the specific edition and platform. Check the current store listing for your hardware before buying, particularly for older titles that may not be available on every modern system.
Because no final price or launch day has been published in the official material described here, avoid treating a preorder date, retailer placeholder or speculative price as confirmed information. The same caution applies to assumptions about solo play, final roster size, network requirements and performance. You can prepare for the announced format without pretending those details are settled.
What these recommendations can—and cannot—tell you
- They can show you: how FromSoftware-style attack timing feels, whether you enjoy build experimentation, how much gothic horror you want, and whether PvPvE uncertainty is exciting or exhausting.
- They cannot show you: The Duskbloods’ final characters, matchmaking rules, progression economy, map design, exact team composition or launch performance.
- They do not confirm: a Bloodborne connection, a solo campaign, a particular number of playable Bloodsworn or any unannounced pricing and online-service requirement.
The best preparation is therefore goal-based. Nightreign is the closest structural exercise; Elden Ring is the most complete combat education; Bloodborne supplies the mood; Dark Souls III supplies focused lineage; Sekiro sharpens precision; and Hunt or Tarkov test whether high-stakes PvPvE is the part you actually want.
Quick Recap
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