The Duskbloods: matchmaking system will be based on skill

Following the recent network test, FromSoftware has revealed more details about th game. It turns out that the studio is preparing to throw players into a rather unusual multiplayer experiment with The Duskbloods, and apparently doesn't want newcomers to spend their first few hours wondering why everyone else seems to have a PhD in vampire murder. Hidetaka Miyazaki has revealed that the game will use skill-based matchmaking, a system designed to keep inexperienced players from immediately being thrown into matches against hardened veterans.

No easy fights

The Duskbloods will pit up to eight players against one another while also forcing them to deal with enemies and other threats controlled by the game. In other words, there is already plenty going on without adding an experienced player who knows every corner of the map and every trick in the book to the equation. That's where skill-based matchmaking comes in. Rather than putting everyone into the same gigantic blender, FromSoftware plans to take player skill into account when creating matches. Newcomers should therefore have a better chance of being matched with people around their own level, while more experienced players can face opponents who are capable of putting up a fight.

It sounds simple, but the effect this could have on The Duskbloods may be substantial. Multiplayer games have a habit of developing a terrifying skill gap once their most dedicated players have spent hundreds of hours mastering them. A newcomer arriving several months after launch can quickly discover that the tutorial taught them how to walk, while everyone else has already invented competitive parkour. For The Duskbloods, that problem could be particularly damaging. FromSoftware's games are famous for demanding players learn from failure, but there is a difference between losing because you haven't mastered the game and losing because another player has already mastered it to an absurd degree.

Miyazaki's apparent goal is not to remove the challenge, but to make that challenge more meaningful. A new player should be able to make mistakes, experiment with the game's characters and mechanics, and gradually improve without being repeatedly flattened by players who have essentially turned The Duskbloods into their second home.

There is also an interesting wrinkle to FromSoftware's plans. The studio isn't necessarily interested in keeping beginners and veterans separated forever. Miyazaki has discussed the possibility of systems that could eventually encourage experienced players to interact with less experienced ones in a more positive way. One of the ideas involves an Alliance system that could allow newcomers to seek out experienced players willing to help them. Veterans could, in turn, have incentives to participate. Special events could potentially become more common when an experienced player is involved, giving skilled players an actual reason to lend a hand rather than simply hunting down anyone with fewer hours on the clock.

If it works, the system could create an interesting multiplayer ecosystem. Beginners get an opportunity to learn from people who understand the game, while veterans receive rewards or unique opportunities for helping them. Instead of the experienced player being the monster under the bed, they could become something closer to a very dangerous teacher.

Ultimately, Miyazaki's objective appears to be delivering an experience that is balanced and fun. Failure is practically part of FromSoftware's DNA, but there is no reason every new player needs to fail because they wandered into a lobby populated by eight competitive monsters. If FromSoftware can make its matchmaking work as intended, The Duskbloods could have a much healthier multiplayer community. New players would have room to learn, veterans could eventually become mentors, and everyone could still enjoy the wonderfully chaotic combination of PvP and PvE that makes the game so unusual.

And honestly, surviving a match because you finally outsmarted an opponent of roughly your own skill level sounds much more satisfying than spending ten minutes being chased around the map by someone who apparently hasn't slept since Elden Ring launched. In any case, we will have to wait for a bit longer to find out if The Duskbloods hits the nail or not with its matchmaking system. As usual, you can keep track of the cheapest prices for The Duskbloods with our comparator as soon as they are available.