Miyazaki details how The Duskbloods will shield new players from veterans

FromSoftware president and Duskbloods director Hidetaka Miyazaki has outlined how the studio plans to handle the skill gap in The Duskbloods, the upcoming Switch 2 exclusive multiplayer game. Speaking to IGN, he confirmed the game will use a ranked matchmaking system that pairs skilled players with each other and keeps newcomers in their own pool to prevent lopsided matches as the community matures.

Miyazaki was upfront that the full ranked system might not ship at launch and could arrive post-release. Beyond matchmaking, he described additional tools to bridge the veteran-newcomer divide: rare in-match events that have a higher chance of triggering when a long-time player is in the lobby, and an Alliance system where high-rank players can opt to be paired with newcomers who want guidance — explicitly compared to leaving summon signs outside a boss room in FromSoftware's other games. Crucially, players who aren't winning matches can still unlock story content and character customisation through regular play, giving a reason to stay engaged outside of pure combat performance.

Skill-based matchmaking has been one of multiplayer gaming's most argued-over features for years. Games like Call of Duty and Apex Legends have faced sustained backlash from players who feel SBMK makes every lobby feel like a grind with no breathing room. FromSoftware's approach sounds more layered than a straight SBMK toggle — the studio is trying to build a social bridge between skill tiers rather than just separating them. The Duskbloods marks a significant departure for FromSoftware, which built its reputation on punishing single-player and co-op experiences rather than competitive multiplayer.

Miyazaki stressed the goal is for veterans to feel like they're contributing to newcomers, and for newcomers to feel welcomed rather than hunted. None of the systems described are finalised — the studio is still gathering data from the current Closed Network Test, and the final implementation could shift before launch.