Elden Ring (as a Duskbloods stand-in until FromSoftware ships a Steam version)

The Duskbloods is FromSoftware’s next PvPvE bloodborne-style game, and Nintendo has it locked to Switch 2. If you’re on PC and want the same gothic, blood-drunk combat with a multiplayer twist, you’re waiting on a port that may never come. These seven Duskbloods alternatives on PC give you the same weight, the same rhythm, and in a few cases the same PvP intrusion loop right now.

Miyazaki has said The Duskbloods is a natural extension of FromSoftware’s single-player DNA with online invasions layered on top. That description covers half the list below on its own. The picks range from the safest Steam pick to a 2D metroidvania that captures the mood better than most 3D games.

Quick comparison

Game Best for Free plan Starting price Standout feature
Elden Ring The closest FromSoftware analog on PC None Around $60 base Open world, invasions, stance combat
Lies of P Parry-heavy, gothic tone None Around $50 Legion arm weapon system
Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice Pure duel combat None Around $60, often 50% off Deflection-only sword combat
Blasphemous 2 2D gothic action RPG None Around $30 Weapon swap combat, dense pixel art
Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night Metroidvania with weapon variety None Around $40 Shard crafting, IGA-style backtracking
Remnant II Third-person soulslike with co-op None Around $50 Random world generation, three-player co-op
Nine Sols 2D Taopunk parry combat None Around $30 Sekiro-style deflect in hand-drawn side-scroller

Why PC players want Duskbloods on PC

Nintendo exclusivity is the wall

The Duskbloods is a Switch 2 game. FromSoftware has ported Dark Souls and Elden Ring to almost every platform, but Nintendo signed a first-party exclusivity deal for Duskbloods. If you don’t own a Switch 2 (or don’t want to buy one for one game) you’re waiting on a port announcement that may never come.

The PvPvE hook nobody else runs

Duskbloods promises eight-player PvPvE lobbies with the FromSoftware combat we already trust. The closest PC parallel is Elden Ring’s invasion system, which is optional and asymmetric. If you want a lobby-based, session-length PvP soulslike, nothing on PC matches the pitch exactly. Remnant II gets close with co-op only, no PvP.

Nintendo release windows drag

Nintendo tends to announce first-party titles twelve months out and slip them another six. First-party Switch 2 games often skip the standard trailers-to-launch cadence FromSoftware fans are used to from Bandai Namco. Expect a long wait, and expect it to be a $70 launch.

Miyazaki singleplayer DNA

Miyazaki said Duskbloods is built on FromSoftware’s single-player playbook with online sessions bolted on, not the reverse. Fans of Bloodborne, Sekiro, and Elden Ring are the exact target audience. The list below is what those players are already on PC.

The alternatives

Elden Ring, the closest FromSoftware pick on PC

Elden Ring is the safest recommendation for any FromSoftware fan looking for something to play on PC. The combat is the direct evolution of Dark Souls 3, Ashes of War replace weapon arts with mix-and-match specials, and the invasion system is the closest thing to Duskbloods’ PvPvE pitch on Steam.

Shadow of the Erdtree, the DLC, is a full FromSoftware boss gauntlet on its own and probably the closest thing to a Miyazaki-directed Bloodborne 2 we’ll ever get. If you invested in Bloodborne, invested in Sekiro, and are eyeing Duskbloods for the same reasons, start here.

Where it falls short: Invasions are on the losing end of a balance patch cycle right now and PvP lobbies aren’t a thing (invasions only). Steam Deck runs at 40fps, not 60fps.

Pricing:

Migrating from The Duskbloods: Not applicable. If you’ve played prior FromSoft games, Elden Ring is home ground.

Download: Elden Ring on Steam

Bottom line: The best default pick if you want a huge FromSoftware world to lose yourself in.

Lies of P, the gothic parry substitute

Lies of P is the closest tonal match to what Duskbloods is aiming for. Plague-choked Belle Époque city, gothic dread, boss patterns that reward aggressive parry reads. Perfect Guard breaks weapon-guard on precise deflection, opens critical windows, and rewards the exact same forward pressure Duskbloods trailers hint at.

The Legion arm system layers a mechanical prosthetic (chain grapple, electric puck, flame throw) onto every weapon combo. It’s the closest thing on PC to the trick-weapon variety Bloodborne fans still miss.

Where it falls short: No co-op or PvP. The final boss (in the base game) is a divisive fight. Story leans on Pinocchio metaphors that fade fast.

Pricing:

Migrating from The Duskbloods: Not applicable. Come at it fresh; the parry economy takes a couple of bosses to click.

Download: Lies of P on Steam

Bottom line: The closest gothic-plague soulslike vibes on PC, and the one game a Bloodborne fan should not skip.

Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, if you love the sword duels

Sekiro is the game to reach for if Duskbloods’ 1v1 duel combat looks like the pitch. There’s one weapon, one moveset, and a deflection system so tight that missing the parry window loses the fight in three exchanges. Every boss (Genichiro, Owl, Isshin) is a pure duel that ends when one side misreads a mikiri counter.

Compared to what we’ve seen of Duskbloods, Sekiro is faster, meaner, and has no PvP. It’s the current gold standard for FromSoftware’s 1v1 boss design and remains the deepest sword-combat game they’ve made.

Where it falls short: One build, one weapon, no co-op, no summons. Steam Deck performance is uneven. Cheese-strats have been patched down over the years.

Pricing:

Migrating from The Duskbloods: Not applicable. Rebind your controller and unlearn Elden Ring’s roll-heavy reflex before you start.

Download: Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice on Steam

Bottom line: The best PC pick for pure sword duels, and probably the closest to whatever Duskbloods’ 1v1 encounters end up feeling like.

Blasphemous 2, the 2D gothic pick

Blasphemous 2 is what you play when Bloodborne’s mood is what you’re chasing and you don’t care that it’s 2D. The Game Kitchen’s pixel art is the densest, most catholic-horror stuff you’ll see on Steam, and the combat has finally caught up to the visuals. Three weapon classes, each with a distinct rhythm.

The setting (Cvstodia, a Spanish-inflected penitent nightmare) leans into the same gothic dread that made Bloodborne stick. It’s a different genre (metroidvania) but the tonal overlap is real.

Where it falls short: No online at all. Some platforming sections leave you cursing the checkpoint spacing. Story is opaque even by FromSoft standards.

Pricing:

Migrating from The Duskbloods: Not applicable. If you’ve played Bloodborne, it’s the same emotional register.

Download: Blasphemous 2 on Steam

Bottom line: The best 2D pick if the Duskbloods aesthetic is what you’re chasing.

Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night, IGA-style crawler

Bloodstained is Koji Igarashi’s return to metroidvania after decades of Castlevania work, and it’s the most weapon-variety-heavy game on this list. Two hundred plus weapons, a shard system that lets you craft magic abilities from enemy drops, and a huge castle to backtrack.

If Duskbloods pulls at you because of Bloodborne’s weapon variety (trick weapons, the moonlight sword, the burial blade), Bloodstained scratches the same itch in a 2D shell. Combat is faster than a soulslike but the exploration-and-power-up loop is the same.

Where it falls short: The story is nothing to write home about, some late-game bosses hit a difficulty spike, and the DLC content is uneven.

Pricing:

Migrating from The Duskbloods: Not applicable. Come at Bloodstained for the weapon-crafting, not the combat rhythm.

Download: Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night on Steam

Bottom line: The pick if you loved Bloodborne’s weapon variety and want the closest thing to it in 2D.

Remnant II, the co-op soulslike

Remnant II is the third-person soulslike with three-player co-op that gets closest to Duskbloods’ multiplayer pitch on PC. It’s not PvPvE; it’s co-op only. But the party dynamic (three friends, one campaign, procedurally generated worlds) fills a slot no FromSoftware game has ever filled.

Combat is gun-based, not melee-heavy, which is a departure from every other pick on this list. The soulslike part comes from the boss design (patterned, punishing) and the world architecture (interconnected, secrets everywhere).

Where it falls short: Guns instead of swords will lose some FromSoft purists immediately. The story is a jumble across four worlds and no character in it will stick with you.

Pricing:

Migrating from The Duskbloods: Not applicable. If the PvPvE pitch is what excites you, Remnant II is the closest cooperative-only substitute right now.

Download: Remnant II on Steam

Bottom line: The pick if you have two friends and want a soulslike you can play together without PvP.

Nine Sols, the sleeper 2D pick

Nine Sols is a hand-drawn 2D metroidvania with a Sekiro-style parry system. Red Candle Games built it as a Taopunk (Taoist punk) reimagining of Sekiro’s combat, and the boss lineup is the strongest 2D soulslike has had in years.

If Duskbloods appeals because you want tight combat plus a distinctive aesthetic, Nine Sols is $30 and delivers both. The mid-game boss (Ji) is one of the best-designed 2D fights of the past three years.

Where it falls short: Twenty-five hours and out. Some platforming sections drag. One or two bosses lean too hard on unblockables.

Pricing:

Migrating from The Duskbloods: Not applicable. Pick this up if Sekiro’s price tag is the barrier.

Download: Nine Sols on Steam

Bottom line: The best budget option and the strongest 2D soulslike shipping right now.

How to choose

Pick Elden Ring if you want the safest, biggest, most FromSoftware-shaped thing on PC. Pick Lies of P if the gothic-plague tone is what pulled you toward Duskbloods and you want the closest mood match. Pick Sekiro if the 1v1 duel combat is what excites you.

Pick Blasphemous 2 or Bloodstained if you’re open to 2D and want the mood without the price. Pick Remnant II if the PvPvE pitch is what draws you and you can accept co-op only for now. Pick Nine Sols if you’re low on cash and want the best-designed sleeper on this list.

Buy a Switch 2 (and Duskbloods on launch) only if you were going to buy a Switch 2 anyway. It’s a hardware purchase, not a game purchase, at that price point.

FAQ

When does The Duskbloods release?

Nintendo has not confirmed a release date beyond a general 2026 window. FromSoftware’s own communication has been sparse. Expect a firm date to arrive with a Nintendo Direct.

Will The Duskbloods come to PC eventually?

Nintendo has locked it as a first-party Switch 2 exclusive. FromSoftware games have historically stayed on their launch platforms for months to years before ports. There is no public roadmap that includes PC.

What is the best Duskbloods alternative for Bloodborne fans?

Lies of P for the tone, Elden Ring for the combat scope, Blasphemous 2 for the gothic 2D pick. If you specifically want the trick-weapon variety, Bloodstained.

Is there any PvPvE soulslike on PC right now?

Nothing exact. Elden Ring’s invasion system is the closest asymmetric PvP; Remnant II is the closest co-op experience. A lobby-based PvPvE FromSoftware game does not exist on PC today.

Which alternative runs best on Steam Deck?

Lies of P, Nine Sols, and Bloodstained run smoothly at 60fps. Elden Ring runs at 40fps stable. Sekiro and Remnant II have known frame-pacing issues that need community fixes.

Is Duskbloods multiplayer only or does it have a single-player mode?

Miyazaki has said it’s built on the single-player FromSoftware playbook with online sessions layered on. There’s an offline component; the marketed hook is the eight-player PvPvE lobbies.