ⓘ Nintendo

With The Duskbloods, FromSoftware is currently working on a PvPvE action RPG set to launch exclusively for the Nintendo Switch 2 (currently $612 on Amazon) in 2026. Until now, it was known that up to eight players would compete against each other and computer-controlled enemies as so-called Bloodsworn. A new leak now claims to have revealed 14 characters, including their names, backstories and special abilities.

The information originally comes from an anonymous user on the Japanese forum 2ch.sc. The user claims that updated data from an “HP server” was analyzed ahead of an upcoming code announcement. In this context, “HP” presumably refers to a homepage or its web server. The Japanese Matome blog Dark Soku picked up the forum post on August 17. One day later, Insider Gaming also reported on the information.

The characters apparently feature very different playstyles. These reportedly include heavy melee fighters, highly mobile characters, poison attacks, transformations, self-buffs and abilities that allow players to copy other techniques. Blood appears to be the common thread: The characters drain it from their enemies, use it for attacks or harness it to strengthen their own bodies.

Among the allegedly leaked characters is Walter, who tracks his victims by the scent of their blood. Then there is Gillian, who wields a massive guillotine blade, and the blind nun Veronica, whose footsteps cause her surroundings to decay. Oscar is said to strengthen himself using tissue from defeated enemies and transform into a beast. Yuri can allegedly accelerate the blood flow of his victims to such an extent that their bodies explode from within.

The Nameless Shadow is particularly interesting. The unfinished mass of flesh is said to be capable of imitating techniques from different bloodlines. This has led the community to speculate that the character may allow players to combine abilities from other characters. The other leaked characters reportedly include:

• Sebastian: Drives silver nails into his body and uses self-inflicted injuries to temporarily become stronger.
• Maurice: Carries an iron coffin containing a mud-like creature on his back, which he feeds with the blood of his enemies.
• Ulan: Possesses superhuman leg strength and leaves a trail of poisonous blood behind while running.
• Isabel: Can materialize shadows, trap enemies inside them and drain their blood.
• Randolph: Fights with a large spear and uses his mechanized lower body to perform powerful area-of-effect attacks.
• Camilla: Uses her own blood and the ashes of her clan to crystallize enemies and shatter them.
• Baldur: While praying, produces an offensive blood mist from his mouth, which is filled with scrap metal and needles.
• Elsa: Can transform her body into bloody sludge, evade attacks and infect enemies with poisonous blood.

As a child in the 90s, my Gameboy was my steady companion. After school, the PlayStation was fired up. When I finally got my first PC, I was completely hooked. My passion for gaming has never waned since. For me, writing for Notebookcheck means reporting on topics that are really close to my heart - in addition to gaming, I also like to write about e-mobility, photovoltaics and innovative gadgets. When I'm not sitting at my computer, I'm probably on water rescue duty on the Baltic coast or trying to counteract the downsides of my geek life - namely sitting for long periods - at the local swimming pool.