Hidetaka Miyazaki, game director at FromSoftware, has acknowledged that the initial reveal of The Duskbloods as a PvPvE title may have misled players, suggesting it could be mistaken for an extraction shooter.
Miyazaki explained in a recent interview with GameSpot that the PvPvE designation does not fully capture the game's intended experience. "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," he stated via a translator. The development team's focus was on implementing features such as the Sigil and Event systems, alongside the Virtue system, to foster constant player drama and excitement. Miyazaki emphasized that The Duskbloods offers multiple ways to succeed and enjoy matches beyond direct player-versus-player combat.
He elaborated that neither a strict PvPvE label nor a purely PvE categorization would accurately represent the game. "It's sort of just a combination of [the] two," Miyazaki said, noting that the enemies draw inspiration from previous FromSoftware titles. The team found it natural to integrate these elements into their design methodology.
Reflecting on the initial announcement, Miyazaki admitted, "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. We definitely look back at that now and think, 'Hmm, maybe that wasn't the best way to refer to it.'" He believes the label did not do the game justice.
This is not FromSoftware's first venture into prominent online multiplayer. Last year, the studio released Elden Ring: Nightreign, a roguelike-inspired mode for Elden Ring that challenged players in cooperative survival against encroaching darkness and bosses. The Duskbloods is set to launch for the Nintendo Switch 2.