The Duskbloods Delay Pushes FromSoftware’s Switch 2 Exclusive Into 2027

The Duskbloods delay is official: FromSoftware’s Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive will no longer arrive in 2026 and is now slated for an unspecified date in 2027. The studio announced the change on October 29 through the game’s account on X, saying it needs more time for “final adjustments to game rules and balancing.”

What FromSoftware said about the delay

The studio framed the move as a response to the August network test. According to its statement, players showed “active interest in the core concepts of the game,” including combat, strategic depth and player expression. FromSoftware wants to strengthen those areas before launch. The statement also included an apology to fans who had been waiting for the game and thanked them for their patience.

The wording differed slightly between versions. A Japanese-language post described the goal as a game that is enjoyable “not only through direct combat but also through various maneuvers and diverse strategies.” Across every version, the message is that the core design is staying put and the tuning is what needs work. Engadget reports the game is in the final stages of development, and the studio itself uses the phrase “final adjustment stage.”

Why the network test matters

The August test was a major moment for the game, and it was not entirely smooth. Eurogamer reports that the first session ended early because of serious connectivity problems, though later sessions ran better. Demand was strong, however. More people applied to join the closed test than applied for the one for Elden Ring Nightreign, which is notable for a game that can only be played on one console.

The game itself is an unusual FromSoftware project. Polygon describes it as a PvPvE title in which eight players take on the roles of characters called Bloodsworn. They fight monsters and each other in match-based sessions, racing to earn victory points called Virtue, and there are several routes to winning. That is a long way from the repeated-death structure of Dark Souls or Elden Ring. Game director Hidetaka Miyazaki has said he hopes the design produces “unexpected drama.” A system built on competing strategies is the kind of thing that can fall apart if one tactic or character proves too strong, so more balancing time is plausible.

A crowded calendar and a familiar pattern

Timing probably helped make the decision easier. Engadget and Polygon both note that Grand Theft Auto 6 is arriving in November, and Engadget adds that a remake of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time is also set to dominate attention for the rest of the year. A new multiplayer game with no marketing push in recent weeks would have faced a difficult launch window.

Signs of slippage had been building. Eurogamer notes that a rumored September date came and went, and Nintendo said the game was not releasing on September 24. Fans had also heard nothing from Nintendo or FromSoftware since the August playtests, which left many doubting the 2026 window.

This is also not the first time FromSoftware has held back a Switch 2 release. The Switch 2 port of Elden Ring was originally expected in 2025 but did not land until this August, after reports of performance problems suggested it needed more optimization work. Taken together, the two delays suggest a studio willing to move dates rather than ship Switch 2 games it considers unfinished.

What the Duskbloods delay means for players

The Duskbloods was revealed in April 2025 during a Switch 2 showcase, so the game has already been a long wait. The Duskbloods delay adds more months, with no firm date given. It also means FromSoftware’s next release after last year’s Elden Ring Nightreign will arrive later than planned. Eurogamer notes that Miyazaki has suggested the studio is keen to return to single-player games after these two multiplayer projects.

For fans, the practical takeaway is modest but clear. The game is not canceled, its design is not being overhauled, and the studio says it is fine-tuning rather than rebuilding. Whether the extra time pays off will depend on how the final rules and balance hold up once the game is in players’ hands. Until FromSoftware names a date, 2027 is all anyone has to go on.

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