Miyazaki Says The Duskbloods Reveal Probably Gave Fans The Wrong Impression

When The Duskbloods was officially announced for the Switch 2 in late 2025, the trailer and its initial description as a PvPvE title may have sent the wrong message to players, according to game director Hidetaka Miyazaki. Speaking to GameSpot, Miyazaki explained that the PvPvE label is frequently associated with the extraction-shooter genre, which is a categorization that does not fit The Duskbloods.

"The PvPvE [label is] a little bit confusing in the context of this game. It's not that we set out with that exact label when pitching to Nintendo," Miyazaki said through a translator. The development team focused instead on core mechanics like the Sigil and Event system, alongside the Virtue system, designed to foster constant drama and excitement between players. Miyazaki noted that the experience goes beyond standard competitive multiplayer, offering ways to win and enjoy matches outside of direct combat against other players. He added that labeling the title purely as PvPvE or PvE fails to accurately capture its hybrid nature, while enemies draw direct inspiration from the studio's previous titles.

"When we originally announced the game as a PvPvE title, there was probably a lot of confusion thinking it was like an extraction [game], and there's definitely a sort of an association with that type of gameplay," Miyazaki acknowledged, reflecting on the initial promotional messaging. The Duskbloods follows other multiplayer-focused efforts from FromSoftware, such as Elden Ring Nightreign, which remixed the traditional souls-like formula with a roguelike twist following the release of Elden Ring and its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.