FromSoftware's Duskbloods is a huge departure from the 23-year-old tradition

One of the most anticipated games for Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026 is Duskbloodsthe latest soul game from FromSoftware that offers eight-player PVP and PVE gameplay. Although FromSoftware is not known for its Nintendo console support, it brings games like Dark Souls remastered and Elden Ring to Nintendo platforms long after their release on other systems, Duskbloods is set to be exclusive to Switch 2. With the release Duskbloods later this year, FromSoftware will finally break its 23-year trend of avoiding Nintendo exclusives.

Drawing clear inspiration from past FromSoftware games such as Bloody and Elden Ring: Nightreign, Duskbloods follows the characters known as the Bloodsworn in a gothic fantasy setting. Similar to Elden Ring: Nightreignplayers choose which Bloodsworn class to play as, each with their own unique weapons and abilities. Although players will be able to customize their characters to some extent, their choice of Bloodsworn will affect the role they play during the match.

FromSoftware's Duskbloods is getting an encouraging update

Developer FromSoftware is developing The Duskbloods, and it seems like it's good news for those expecting a Nintendo Switch 2 game.

The Duskbloods will be the first since 2003 from Software Exclusive for a Nintendo console

FromSoftware is no longer synonymous with Nintendo, but that doesn't mean the two companies haven't worked together in the past. Before FromSoftware made a name for itself in the soulslike genre upon release Soul of Demons and Dark soulshis most notable plays come from King's Field and Armored Core franchises. Outside of these two series, FromSoftware also released a number of other RPGs, many of which never made it outside of Japan, but among those releases was a duo of GameCube exclusives that marked the developer's last collaboration with Nintendo on a console exclusive.

Drag your weapons to fill the grid

Easy to medium hard

Duskbloods doesn't yet have an official release date, but FromSoftware has remained committed to a 2026 launch window.

Lost Kingdoms: The Forgotten GameCube Action RPG Series by FromSoftware

Lost Kingdoms and its continuation, Lost Kingdoms 2were released on the GameCube back in 2002 and 2003, marking a 23-year gap between FromSoftware's last Nintendo console exclusive and Duskbloods. While FromSoftware's creative game director and architect of the developer's modern library, Hidetaka Miyazaki, on Lost Kingdoms games, it's easy to see where there's a lot of groundwork for what would happen Soul of Demonsand finally Dark soulswas laid with these games. However, the real catch Lost Kingdoms series is its card-based combat system that combines with active combat to create a unique deck-building action RPG.

A Tale of Lost Kingdoms

For longtime FromSoftware fans, it is a basic prerequisite Lost Kingdoms will sound familiar: a mysterious mist envelops the land of Argwyll and demons emerge from it. King Argwyll attempts to venture out to find the source of this mist and stop it from engulfing his kingdom, with the main character, Princess Katia, following her father shortly after he leaves. She brings with her a kingdom runestone, which allows her to use cards to fight. Like Soul of Demons and Dark soulsthe use of mist as a barrier between the human and demon realms is a common theme that Lost Kingdoms shares and creates a theme that would be used by other FromSoftware games in the future.

Lost Kingdoms 2 takes place centuries after the first game, where Katia of Argwyll is seen as a heroic queen. This sequel instead focuses on new protagonist Tara Grimstone, who also has the ability to control cards for battle through the same type of runestones that Katia had. The main part Lost Kingdoms 2 is an exploration of the origins of the Runestone, although the gameplay remains very similar to the original.

Lost Kingdoms game

Card-based RPGs were strangely popular in the early 2000s, especially on Nintendo platforms. While the Game Boy Advance had Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories in 2004 he saw the GameCube Baten Kaitos: Eternal Wings and the Lost Ocean released the same year. However, the previous two years had also seen card RPGs on the GameCube, with both The Lost Kingdom games with this fighting style.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.

Scratch & Peek

Identify the cover and scrape off as little of the foil as possible.

EasyMediumHardPermadeath

Lost Kingdoms uses a similar user interface to FromSoftware games Soul of Demonswhere the four cards in the player's hand are assigned to a specific button arranged in a diamond shape on the screen. Players use these cards during active combat encounters to cast skills, but the card is consumed as soon as it is played. This means that players are encouraged to collect more cards by either buying or persuading defeated enemies to become cards in their deck. This creature collection mechanic gives Lost Kingdoms games almost like Pokemon or Shin Megami Tenseiallowing players to exploit the enemies they face for their own ends.

Just like these creature collecting JRPGs Lost Kingdoms's elemental system that features rock-paper-scissors combat mechanics. Each card has a different type of element: fire, water, earth, wood, and neutral, with mechanical added as another type. Lost Kingdoms 2and each of them has a type advantage over the other. This mechanic adds another layer of strategy Lost Kingdoms's combat, meaning players will constantly need to evaluate their deck to overcome deficiencies as they work their way through the game.

As the Duskbloods are about to inherit the legacy of the lost kingdoms

Although primarily a single-player game, Lost Kingdoms contains a multiplayer element. The original game features a two-player PVP mode where players can battle each other using separate decks. Although it's far from an eight-player game Duskbloods features, follows the trend of FromSoftware games, including a multiplayer element in single-player games.

A legacy that Duskbloods inherits the most from Lost Kingdoms is its unique Nintendo experience. Since card-based battle systems were popular among Nintendo exclusives back in the early 2000s, it's clear how Lost Kingdoms has created its identity as a blend of FromSoftware core elements with a Nintendo feel. The Switch 2 is probably one of the best platforms for multiplayer, given its portability and reasonable price of Nintendo Switch Online. So it makes sense Duskbloods would once again combine the iconic properties of FromSoftware's games with one of Nintendo's strongest selling points for its current generation of consoles.