When FromSoftware unveiled their latest project as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, it rapidly became one of the most talked-about games on the platform. It’s directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, developed by the company behind the likes of Dark Souls, Elden Ring, and Bloodborne… Need I say more?
Honestly, the simple fact that The Duskbloods is a FromSoft game is enough to sell it. But is it enough to sell the Switch 2? A Miyazaki-directed game seems like an interesting choice for a Nintendo exclusive, to say the least. And many FromSoftware fans are faced with a predicament—buy the Switch 2 or don’t play the new FromSoftware game.
This is quite the ultimatum. If you’ve found yourself stuck on that fence, and you’re not sure if it’s worth buying a Switch 2 just for The Duskbloods, let’s go over your options.
The Duskbloods is the First Real Switch 2 System Seller for Many
The Duskbloods being a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, of course, means that you can’t get it anywhere else. If you want to play the game, you need a Switch 2. Nintendo, however, is known for its family-friendly titles like Mario Kart, Pokémon, and Animal Crossing.
The Duskbloods is a dark, gritty, and challenging title. FromSoft games aren’t for everyone, and families are certainly not their target audience. As fun as a family game night huddled around the living room playing Elden Ring sounds, that’s just not a reality for most people. At the end of the day, Nintendo’s usual audience doesn’t overlap all that much with soulslike fans.
Of course, that’s not a blanket rule. There are still plenty of Nintendo Switch 2 owners that would love to get their hands dirty with The Duskbloods, myself included. But the crossover is undoubtedly smaller than it would be if The Duskbloods was a PS5, Xbox, or even a PC exclusive. The fact of the matter is that many FromSoftware fans likely don’t own a Switch 2 already, and that means buying one just for one game. For some, this might be worth it. But in this economy?
What Exactly is The Duskbloods?
If you haven’t heard much about The Duskbloods, you might be wondering what the big deal is, so let me run you through the basics. The Duskbloods is the upcoming Miyazaki masterpiece (it’s safe to assume). It’s set in a dark fantasy gothic universe, where players called the Bloodsworn compete for a mystical substance called the First Blood.
The Bloodsworn are vampire-adjacent beings. They are conceptually similar to the classic bloodsucking monsters that stain the pages of many a fantasy novel, but in a romantic way, not a monstrously horrific way. FromSoftware wanted to approach vampires from a more mythic and romantic point of view, but don’t worry! They’re not diving into Twilight territory.
Hidetaka Miyazaki Reveals The First Details About The Duskbloods
Hidetaka Miyazaki shares the first details on The Duskbloods in a new interview following its major Nintendo Switch 2 reveal.
Unlike many FromSoftware games, The Duskbloods is not a single-player experience. It follows a PvPvE structure and supports up to eight players. This can either be a good or bad thing, depending on how you look at it. On one hand, the Switch is great for multiplayer. Many of the system’s best games are multiplayer, and you can’t argue with the likes of Smash Bros. or Mario Kart. On the other hand, is it a bad choice to restrict a multiplayer game to a single console? Especially when many of the system’s native player base might not be interested in such a title?
There is one other glaring issue with the multiplayer structure of The Duskbloods. Not only do players have to consider buying a Switch 2 to play The Duskbloods, but they also get slapped in the face with the Nintendo Switch Online subscription. In most cases, you can’t play online without an NSO subscription, and they’re not cheap. A subscription costs anywhere from $19.99 to $49.99 USD per year. That’s not an insignificant amount of money, especially in today’s climate.
The Biggest Reason to Buy a Nintendo Switch 2 for The Duskbloods
The biggest reason to buy a Nintendo Switch 2 for The Duskbloods is simple—you get to play The Duskbloods. It’s a FromSoft game; it’s directed by Miyazaki, and that kind of track record gives fans plenty of reason to be optimistic. As long as the Switch 2 can handle the game, that is. But from what we can tell from the trailers, it looks very promising.
The setting and lore for The Duskbloods looks next level. If there was ever going to be a Bloodborne successor, this might be as close as we’re going to get. Of course, it’s not officially a Bloodborne successor, and Miyazaki has shut down those rumors first-hand. But you can’t deny it looks pretty close! Blood plays a central role in the game, and players are empowered by it. The dark gothic setting screams Yharnam, and fans drew those comparisons immediately.
At the end of the day, The Duskbloods looks like it’s going to be the closest thing we have to a Bloodborne successor at this point in time. And if playing it means buying the Switch 2, that’s a pill that fans are just going to have to swallow. This game will not be coming to PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. It’s the Switch 2, or no Duskbloods for you.
The Biggest Reason Not to Buy a Nintendo Switch 2 for The Duskbloods
A Nintendo Switch 2 console is a big purchase. They retail for $449.99 USD. That’s a hefty price to pay for one game, especially when you throw the NSO subscription on top. And don’t forget the game! The Duskbloods isn’t going to be free just because you bought a whole new console just to play it.
The price of The Duskbloods hasn’t been released, but it’s an ambitious title from a trusted and hyped developer, so it will probably land somewhere around the $70.00-$80.00 USD mark. That is, of course, just my guess, and I (unfortunately) do not possess the ability to tell the future, so take my estimate with a grain of salt. The point is, players are going to have to make a significant financial purchase to get everything they need to start playing The Duskbloods.
We also haven’t really seen that much of the game yet. There are a few trailers to go off of, but no hands-on first impressions and limited gameplay has been seen. That makes it hard to predict exactly what The Duskbloods is going to be like. The Switch 2 is leagues ahead of the original Switch in terms of hardware, but performance issues were (and still are) the biggest downside of the Switch compared to other next-gen consoles on the market. Whether The Duskbloods will perform well on the Switch 2 is still up in the air.
Should You Buy a Switch 2 For The Duskbloods?
Whether buying a whole new console just for The Duskbloods is worth it to you depends completely on how excited you are for the game. If your hype for The Duskbloods is unmatched, and you have the $500 or so you need to buy the console, the online subscription, and the game, then do it. You wouldn’t be the only one. The Duskbloods has the potential to be one of the Switch 2’s best-selling games.
It’s also worth checking out the rest of Nintendo’s catalog, as well. The Duskbloods is not the only game on the system. There are hundreds more incredible Nintendo and third-party titles that can help soften the blow of buying a whole new console. If there are other games or franchises that you’re drawn to, like The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, or Astral Chain, for example, then the Switch 2 would be a great investment, and The Duskbloods might just be the game to tip you over the edge.
If you’re not interested in anything else Nintendo has to offer, and you truly would just be purchasing the console for The Duskbloods alone, buying a Switch 2 might not be the best idea. Wait until the game releases and read some reviews before making your decision. A game like The Duskbloods hasn’t really released on the Switch before. If it’s going to be a massive flop, you will have dodged a bullet. And if the game looks and plays amazing with thriving multiplayer lobbies, you can pick it up then!
The Duskbloods
- Released
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2026
- Developer(s)
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FromSoftware
- Publisher(s)
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FromSoftware
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Number of Players
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1-8 players
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