Miyazaki explains how The Duskbloods plans to protect newcomers from its best players
FromSoftware has confirmed that The Duskbloods, its upcoming Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, will implement skill-based matchmaking to protect newcomers from veteran players. According to FromSoftware president and game director Hidetaka Miyazaki, the game will feature a ranked system that pairs players of similar skill levels, keeping newer players in separate matchmaking pools from highly experienced competitors.
This move addresses one of multiplayer gaming’s most divisive design debates. Games like Call of Duty and Apex Legends have faced persistent backlash over their skill-based matchmaking implementations, with players raising concerns about matchmaking balance, queue times, and perceived disadvantages for casual players. FromSoftware’s approach aims to mitigate these issues by preventing the widening skill gap that typically emerges as a game’s community matures.
By segregating player pools based on ranked progression, FromSoftware hopes to create fairer competitive experiences for players at different skill levels. The studio’s explicit commitment to this system suggests careful consideration of how to maintain both accessibility for newcomers and meaningful progression for experienced players—a balance that has proven elusive in other major multiplayer titles.