{"rewrite":{"id":"r_e5ef9c0f24d52a91775c1059","clusterId":"c_757ac9d5a092c22d066f5fc2","slug":"the-duskbloods-hands-on-reveals-a-board-game-like-pvpve-where-virtue-beats-pure-skill","model":"deepseek-v4-flash:free","headline":"The Duskbloods Hands-On Reveals a Board Game-Like PvPvE Where Virtue Beats Pure Skill","summary":"FromSoftware held a media hands-on event for The Duskbloods ahead of its network test on Nintendo Switch 2, running from August 21 to 24, 2026. The game, directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki, is a PvPvE action title where up to eight players compete in matches called Twilight Battles. The hands-on revealed that the game is not an extraction shooter, despite the PvPvE label. Instead, matches are divided into four phases, with players earning victory points called Virtue through various actions, including defeating enemies, lighting lanterns, and completing objectives. Players with the lowest Virtue are eliminated after each phase, and the final three players duel in a direct confrontation. Miyazaki clarified that the PvPvE term was used loosely, and the game is designed so that players can win without focusing on direct combat. The network test version includes six playable characters, each with unique melee and ranged weapons, and the full version will feature over ten characters with customization options. The game is scheduled for release on Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026.","whyItMatters":"The hands-on confirms that The Duskbloods is a deliberate departure from the extraction shooter genre, using a Virtue point system inspired by board games to reduce the emphasis on pure action skill, which could broaden its appeal beyond hardcore FromSoftware fans.","webCardHtml":"\u003cp\u003eThe network test map is named \u0026#34;Loran Low,\u0026#34; a Gothic Victorian setting with a clock tower, cathedral, underground waterways, and a lake. Miyazaki said the full game will add two more maps, each with a different world setting, all sharing the \u0026#34;twilight\u0026#34; theme, \u0026#34;the time of humanity\u0026#39;s ruin, decline, and sunset.\u0026#34; The wheel motif in the game\u0026#39;s imagery expresses that the summons \u0026#34;transcend time and space.\u0026#34;\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eMiyazaki confirmed the Virtue system was inspired by board games. The \u0026#34;Praise\u0026#34; element was called \u0026#34;Longest Road\u0026#34; during development, a reference to the victory point condition in \u0026#34;Catan.\u0026#34; He also said the project began before \u0026#34;ELDEN RING NIGHTREIGN,\u0026#34; when he presented the concept to Nintendo and they showed interest. The two games share technology and feedback because both are online titles made within the same company.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe full version will include ranked matches, rankings, and season systems. Miyazaki said balance adjustments will be frequent, and the network test results will inform changes. The single-player mode is minimal, covering character customization, courtyard practice, and simulated 8-player battles. The \u0026#34;Night Hall\u0026#34; base has a second floor with NPCs who advance the story, and there are multiple endings.\u003c/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003ePlayers can form \u0026#34;Blood Pact\u0026#34; teams of two for the whole match, and a \u0026#34;Blood Pact Match\u0026#34; mode was playable at the event. Retainers, summoned via map emblems, include a wolf-like quadruped, a singing wrestler, a woman with a pistol, and a snail-like healer. One playthrough lasts about 20 minutes, with phases running roughly 7 minutes each.\u003c/p\u003e","blueskyPost":"The Duskbloods' Virtue system means players can win without fighting, which makes FromSoftware's PvPvE label a loose fit. Miyazaki's design rewards objectives over combat.","twitterPost":"The Duskbloods rewards Virtue over combat, so winning without fighting is viable. That makes FromSoftware's PvPvE label more about structure than violence.","threadsPost":"The Duskbloods' Virtue system lets players win without direct combat, which is a deliberate design choice from Hidetaka Miyazaki. The PvPvE label is loose because the game is more about objectives than fighting. That shifts the skill ceiling from reflexes to strategy.","newsletterBlurb":"FromSoftware's The Duskbloods is not the extraction shooter its PvPvE label suggests. Hands-on reports reveal a Virtue point system that rewards strategy and role-playing over pure combat skill, with a network test starting August 21.","attributionJson":"[{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/897/G089770/20260818037/\",\"title\":\"[Play Report] FromSoftware's Mysterious New Action Game 'The Duskbloods' Is Packed with Too Many Elements. The High Degree of Strategic Freedom, Not Just PvP, Is Fun\"},{\"source\":\"4Gamer.net\",\"url\":\"https://www.4gamer.net/games/897/G089770/20260807028/\",\"title\":\"[Interview] 'The Duskbloods' is a PvPvE that can be enjoyed even if you avoid PvP. Hidetaka Miyazaki talks about the true nature of this 'strange game'\"},{\"source\":\"GAME Watch\",\"url\":\"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/preview/2134234.html\",\"title\":\"Switch 2 \\\"The Duskbloods\\\" Hands-On Report! Even Those Bad at PvP Can Be One of the \\\"Final Three.\\\" Expectations High for FromSoftware's New Title with Both PvE and PvP\"},{\"source\":\"GAME Watch\",\"url\":\"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/interview/2133935.html\",\"title\":\"Switch2「ダスクブラッド」宮崎英高氏インタビュー！ フロム最新作は「直接殴り合う以外でも勝てるゲームにしたい」\"},{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/reportjp/20260820-461510/\",\"title\":\"FromSoftware's New Game 'The Duskbloods' Hands-On Impressions: Unite, Fight, and Fall in Love-A Completely New PvPvE That's Pure 'FromSoft Style'\"},{\"source\":\"Automaton\",\"url\":\"https://automaton-media.com/articles/interviewsjp/20260820-461487/\",\"title\":\"FromSoftware's New PvPvE 'The Duskbloods' Heavily Reflects Director Hidetaka Miyazaki's 'Likes': A Love for Blindfolds, Layered Maps, and a Wealth of Quirky Systems\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/?p=1610965\",\"title\":\"フロム新作『ダスクブラッド』先行プレイレポート。「美徳」を一番積んだ者が勝つ、フロム流のPvPvE。同盟を組むもよし、背後から襲いかかるもよし、突然求婚するもよし\"},{\"source\":\"Denfaminicogamer\",\"url\":\"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/kikakuthetower/260820n\",\"title\":\"フロム新作『ダスクブラッド』先行プレイレポート。「美徳」を一番積んだ者が勝つ、フロム流のPvPvE。同盟を組むもよし、背後から襲いかかるもよし、突然求婚するもよし\"}]","lintFlagsJson":null,"lintHits":0,"costUsd":0,"inputTokens":72911,"outputTokens":2025,"status":"published","repairAttempts":0,"nextRepairAt":null,"factsAttemptedAt":1787238621,"createdAt":"2026-08-20T15:03:35.000Z","publishedAt":"2026-08-20T15:06:44.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-20T15:03:35.000Z"},"cluster":{"id":"c_757ac9d5a092c22d066f5fc2","canonicalTitle":"［プレイレポ］フロムの謎に包まれた新作アクション「The Duskbloods」は，要素が盛りだくさんすぎ。対人だけではない自由度の高い戦略性が楽しい","representativeArticleId":"a_8fbcc7253e04dafaa4aa9464","sourceCount":5,"writtenSourceCount":5,"writeAttempts":0,"isSolo":false,"entitiesJson":"{\"anime_titles\":[],\"manga_titles\":[],\"work_titles\":[\"The Duskbloods\"],\"studios\":[\"FromSoftware\"],\"people\":[\"Hidetaka Miyazaki\"],\"type\":\"news\",\"domain\":\"games\",\"is_roundup\":false}","contentType":"news","status":"published","firstSeenAt":"2026-08-20T14:00:00.000Z","lastSeenAt":"2026-08-20T16:14:27.000Z","updatedAt":"2026-08-20T16:18:06.000Z"},"attribution":[{"source":"4Gamer.net","url":"https://www.4gamer.net/games/897/G089770/20260818037/","title":"［プレイレポ］フロムの謎に包まれた新作アクション「The Duskbloods」は，要素が盛りだくさんすぎ。対人だけではない自由度の高い戦略性が楽しい"},{"source":"GAME Watch (Impress)","url":"https://game.watch.impress.co.jp/docs/preview/2134234.html","title":"Switch2「ダスクブラッド」試遊レポ！ 対人苦手でも“最後の3人”になれる。PvEもあればPvPもあるフロム新作に期待"},{"source":"Denfaminicogamer","url":"https://news.denfaminicogamer.jp/?p=1610965","title":"フロム新作『ダスクブラッド』先行プレイレポート。「美徳」を一番積んだ者が勝つ、フロム流のPvPvE。同盟を組むもよし、背後から襲いかかるもよし、突然求婚するもよし"},{"source":"Automaton","url":"https://automaton-media.com/articles/reportjp/20260820-461510/","title":"フロム・ソフトウェア新作『ダスクブラッド』先行プレイ感想。団結したり、戦ったり恋したり、“フロム流”すぎるまったく新しいPvPvE"},{"source":"Game Spark","url":"http://www.gamespark.jp/article/2026/08/21/171007.html","title":"『The Duskbloods』テスト版ゲームプレイガイド公開―美徳を重ねることで進める4フェイズ構成等のルールのほか、崩れゲージをはじめとした戦闘システム情報も"}],"entities":{"anime_titles":[],"manga_titles":[],"work_titles":["The Duskbloods"],"studios":["FromSoftware"],"people":["Hidetaka Miyazaki"],"type":"news","domain":"games","is_roundup":false},"keyFacts":["The Duskbloods network test runs from August 21 to 24, 2026, on Nintendo Switch 2.","The game is a PvPvE action title for up to eight players, directed by Hidetaka Miyazaki.","Matches are divided into four phases, with players earning Virtue points to avoid elimination.","The network test version includes six playable characters, with the full version featuring over ten.","The full game will include ranked matches, rankings, and season systems."]}