The Duskbloods Won't Match Switch 2 Noobs With Veteran Divers

FromSoftware has never been shy about making multiplayer a crucible. Elden Ring invasions can be brutal, and the Souls games have run on unwritten rules of respect and revenge for over a decade. With The Duskbloods, the studio is making a rare, explicit promise: skill-based matchmaking will keep the PvPvE chaos fair, especially on Switch 2, where the game’s portable nature could introduce far more first-time FromSoftware players. Director Hidetaka Miyazaki confirmed to IGN that ranked matchmaking will pair high-rank divers with each other and newcomers with their own, so a fresh Switch 2 buyer isn’t immediately shredded by a diver who has logged months of jetpack time.

That’s not just a competitive fairness gesture. It’s a handheld-friendly design choice. When you’re playing undocked between train stops or stealing a session before bed, you shouldn’t need to gamble on matchmaking RNG every time — a goal that stands out after the game’s laggy Switch 2 network test. Miyazaki also framed non-combat progression—story content and character customization—as a way to enjoy The Duskbloods beyond the final PvP showdown, which suggests the game respects limited play sessions in a way many multiplayer titles don’t.

Ranked Lobbies Are a Lifeline for Portable Newcomers

Skill-based matchmaking is a dirty word in some shooter communities, where strict skill bands can mean long queue times or lobbies that feel like punishment for improving. On a portable console, the calculus changes. The Duskbloods is Switch 2’s first exclusive from the studio behind Dark Souls — one that was built for Switch 1 before Switch 2’s power saved it — and a meaningful slice of that audience will be walking in without a Souls-shaped scar. Ranked matchmaking that funnels new players into their own lobbies isn’t a concession to casuals—it’s a quality-of-life feature for anyone who wants to finish a match before their train arrives.

Miyazaki’s answer also explicitly accounts for late buyers. People who pick up The Duskbloods months after launch won’t be fed to a player base that has already mastered the jetpack movement and PvPvE rhythm. That’s the kind of onboarding decision that matters more on a hybrid console, where a player’s session length is often dictated by real-world circumstances rather than their appetite for punishment.

Unlockable Progress Turns Short Sessions Into Real Gains

Miyazaki’s note that story content and character customization unlock through general play—not just wins—is quietly the most handheld-relevant detail in the interview. Pure PvP games punish you for stepping away; log in after a week and the meta has moved on. The Duskbloods’ progression path gives portable players a reason to keep dipping in even when they’re rusty or outmatched. It also lowers the activation cost of a 20-minute session: you can make meaningful progress even if you drop out before the final showdown.

On Switch 2, where suspend-resume and quick sessions are core to the hardware’s identity, that design philosophy matters as much as any frame-rate target. It means The Duskbloods can be a ‘one more match’ game on a lunch break or a weekend-long commitment at home, without the game demanding you treat every session like a ranked qualifier.

Mentor Systems Could Turn Veteran Lobbies Into Summon Signs

The most intriguing part of Miyazaki’s interview isn’t the ranking system—it’s what comes after. He’s considering—even if some of it arrives post-launch—positive ways to connect veterans and newcomers: rare in-match events that trigger when a long-time player is in the session, an Alliance system that lets high-rank players opt into helping beginners, and even a setting where you can ask to be paired with someone who’s genuinely good. That’s Dark Souls’ cooperative summon philosophy transplanted into a PvPvE structure.

For Switch 2 owners, this could be the difference between a hostile online scene and a welcoming one. And because The Duskbloods unlocks meaningful content outside combat, a veteran doesn’t need to carry a newbie to victory to make the meetup worthwhile—they just need to show up, share an event, and let the reward do the talking.