New hands-on details have emerged from a FromSoftware preview event in Tokyo, revealing more about how The Duskbloods actually plays. Game director Hidetaka Miyazaki said he wants the eight-player format to produce "unexpected drama," and the game is best described as PvPvE — most of each match involves fighting environmental monsters, with direct player-versus-player combat concentrated in a final showdown. A journalist who played the network test build won five of eight matches by focusing on environmental combat rather than confrontation, though PvP-focused rivals won other rounds, underlining the multiple viable strategies on offer.

The preview also detailed the game's mechanics and cast. Matches, called Dusk Battles, involve eight players (solo or in duos) and last roughly 25-30 minutes. Players control prebuilt characters called Bloodsworn, who can "Howl" to stagger enemies and then "Drink Blood" to heal or temporarily convert foes into allies, alongside shared traversal moves such as triple jumps and air dashes. Six Bloodsworn are playable in the upcoming network test, including sword-and-gun fighter Albert and diving-suit brawler Zork, with more promised for the full 2026 launch on Nintendo Switch 2, including one character who can transform into a dinosaur.