FromSoftware has announced The Duskbloods network test has reached an early end after the first day of testing resulted in “game server issues” that barred players from logging in.
The Dark Souls developer’s bloody new PvPvE Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive action game was originally set to come to a limited number of players today as part of a weekend’s worth of closed tests. The early sign-up period had fans clamoring for codes, but when tests began, it quickly became clear that most will have to wait to get their hands on The Duskbloods.
The first of five early gameplay periods kicked off today, August 21, 2026, at 3 a.m. PT / 6 a.m. ET, or at least, that’s supposed to be what happened. Instead, most players spent their time on social media sharing pictures of The Duskbloods’ (admittedly atmospheric) title screen.
The Duskbloods Network Test experience pic.twitter.com/kODvrU5VZn
— Games Might Be Art (@GamesMightBeArt) August 21, 2026
“Failed to log in to The Duskbloods game server,” the error message read by many today said. “Select ‘OK’ to attempt to log in again.”
The upside is that, yes, The Duskbloods network test was a resounding success, but only because it proved that there was much more testing to be done. FromSoftware acknowledged the hangups with a message on its X/Twitter page, saying, “We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience.”
The message to fans also notified them that the first test had been closed before its originally planned time of 7 a.m. PT / 10 a.m. ET. For now, the schedule posted on its website has additional tests scheduled throughout the weekend, including one later today, one tomorrow, and two through Sunday. It’s unclear if the remaining times have been impacted, with the studio’s message on social media, meanwhile, promising to “work on improving the servers” and “announced future schedules at a later date.”
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to those who were waiting for the first The Duskbloods network test due to game server issues. We regret to inform you that today’s session is now closed. We will continue to work on improving the servers and will announce…
— FROMSOFTWARE (@fromsoftware_pr) August 21, 2026
“Become a Bloodsworn of Dusk — a supernatural being imbued with special abilities by the power of blood — and leap into online battles of up to eight players,” an official description for The Duskbloods says. “The Bloodsworn have been summoned to do battle at the Dusk of Humanity. Form transient alliances and bitter rivalries alike as you take on enemies and compete for the right to First Blood.”
FromSoftware is responsible for some of the most influential games of the last 20 years. With 2022’s Elden Ring raising its bar once more, it’s no secret that The Duskbloods has remained one of the most highly anticipated games for fans despite its status as a Switch 2 exclusive. While some online are certainly let down to find that they’ll have to keep waiting to play the developer’s new game, others seem to be pretty understanding when it comes to the surprise technical issues.
“It’s okay, I still love you,” one fan replied.
“I fear people are forgetting this is a Network Test and it’s stuff like this they are testing for,” another added. “This wasn’t intended as a demo or anything. Wishing the dev team luck with fixing things.”
“Why bother doing sessions in the first place?” one dissatisfied user said. “Such a dumb system making people wake up early or plan their day around a session. So stupid.”
No need to apologize. We tested the network. GJ all! pic.twitter.com/7Lrx7JBNwG
— De ville David (@Deville_Davidx) August 21, 2026
Me downloading The Duskbloods yesterday VS me trying to log in this morning: pic.twitter.com/ixkd6fq9EI
— Brian (@BrianDevilish) August 21, 2026
— ⚪️ (@wdymot) August 21, 2026
For now, it’s unclear if The Duskbloods will be playable during any of the planned tests for the next few days. Its full launch for Switch 2 currently lacks a release date, but is expected to arrive before the end of 2026. Until there is more to share, you can read IGN’s interview with FromSoftware’s Hidetaka Miyazaki. You can also check out our new preview.
Michael Cripe is a freelance writer with IGN. He’s best known for his work at sites like The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be sure to give him a follow on Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).