One of the pleasant surprises from the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct was the announcement of FromSoftware’sThe Duskbloods, coming in 2026, but this year’s release ofElden Ring Nightreignhas me a little worried about the upcoming multiplayer game’s technical state.The Duskbloodswill be a Switch 2 exclusive, and even this far from release, it’s a bit of an oddity. It’s set to be a PvPvE game, borrowing from the extraction genre, but the Switch hasn’t necessarily been a destination for multiplayer experiences, and FromSoftware isn’t exactly known for its online prowess.
The multiplayer systems of games likeDark SoulsandElden Ringare notoriously clunky, and the developer has yet to adopt crossplay, which is, at this point, industry standard. Despite the unexpected premise ofThe Duskbloodsbeing PvPvE, I’m fairly confident the game can deliver compelling gameplay, especially after thegreatest hits-style gameplay ofNightreign.Elden Ring Nightreign’s performance issues, however, may spell trouble forThe Duskbloods' launch next year.
Elden Ring Nightreign’s Launch Has Been Plagued With Performance Issues
Par For The Elden Ring Course
Upon its release,Elden Ring Nightreignhas been derided for its poor technical state. This has contributed to itsmixed reviews on Steam, but it’s also affecting every platform. PlayStation and Xbox also suffer from severe frame rate drops and inconsistent frame timing. This is especially frustrating since the game features FromSoftware’s famously cuthroat and precise combat. A sluggish second can cause you to mistime a dodge roll and end a run. This is all on top ofNightreign’s generally clunky matchmaking systems, which are actually an improvement on previous FromSoftware games.
This is sadly expected ofNightreign, because it borrows the vast majority of its assets fromElden Ring, which is also not a technical marvel.Elden Ringhas suffered from the same frame rate issues since launch, and very little has been done to address them; performance is still suboptimal. It’s not so bad as to ruin the experience, but when it happens in the middle of a fight, it can be frustrating.
The Duskbloods May Have Trouble Running On The Switch 2
FromSoftware Optimization & Nintendo Hardware
The Duskbloodsreleasing solely for the Nintendo Switch 2 may be another saga in FromSoftware’s performance woes. The game’s lone trailer already shows graphics that are a noticeable step back from those inElden RingandNightreign, but Nintendo’s hardware doesn’t have an exceptional track record with third-party titles. By all accounts,the Switch 2 is impressive for its form factor, but there are already some reported technical hiccups, likeDonkey Kong Bananzahaving performance hitchesin early gameplay footage.
There’s also the issue of the Switch 2 being relatively new hardware, even by the timeThe Duskbloodsreleases sometime in 2026. Generally speaking,games released at the beginning of a console’s lifespan tend to perform worse than those near the end, simply because the developers haven’t had as much experiencing optimizating for that specific platform. This could be exacerbated by the fact that FromSoftware doesn’t have much Switch experience. TheDark Souls RemasteredSwitch port was handled by Virtuos, and it remains to be seen how the Switch 2 version ofElden Ringfares.
Virtuos also developed the recently releasedOblivion Remastered, and is involved inMetal Gear Solid Delta: Snake Eater.
I’m hoping for the best, but it’s a perfect storm forThe Duskbloodslikely to have performance issues when it comes out. The struggles haven’t so far affected my experience withElden Ring Nightreign, so I suppose that’s the best I can hope for next year. Aside from a couple of first-party Nintendo exclusives,The Duskbloodsis my most anticipated Switch 2 game, and it would be unfortunate if its chances at success were hindered by performance issues.
The Duskbloods
FromSoftware’s upcoming title,The Duskbloods, immerses players in a gothic, steampunk-inspired world teeming with vampiric lore and atmospheric dread. As “Duskbloods,” individuals endowed with supernatural abilities, players engage in a PvPvE experience, navigating treacherous environments and confronting formidable adversaries. The game supports up to eight players, fostering dynamic interactions and strategic alliances. Exclusive to the Nintendo Switch 2,The Duskbloodsis slated for a 2026 release.
Elden Ring Nightreign
FromSoftware has announcedElden Ring: Nightreign, a standalone multiplayer game set in Limgrave, a region of the Lands Between.
