After years of audiences clamoring for aBloodbornesequel, spin-off, or remaster, Nintendo has revealed that it is partnering with FromSoftware forThe Duskbloods, a game that shares more than a bit of DNA with the 2015 Lovecraftian horror masterpiece. To be clear,The Duskbloodsis not a direct successor toBloodborne, but rather a spiritual one, which is just as good for many players.
At the same time,The Duskbloodsraises an interesting question: why hasn’t there beena follow-up of some kind toBloodborne?After its reputation skyrocketed with the first twoDark Soulsgames, FromSoftware usedBloodborneas a platform to pivot away from its high-fantasy modus operandi, to excellent results. The game, which is still locked to the PS4 despite mass outcry for a PC release or next-gen upgrade, is arguably Sony’s best exclusive from the past decade, which makes the lack of a follow-up extremely perplexing. This is elevated byElden Ring’s success, which solidified FromSoftware as one of the most respected and profitable AAA developers of the modern era. WithThe Duskbloodson the way, Sony ought to strongly reevaluate its decision to leaveBloodbornein the dust.
Sony Should Be Doing Everything Possible To Make ‘Bloodborne 2’ Happen
Sony’s Neglect of Bloodborne Is Becoming More Inexplicable
The true reasonwhyBloodbornehasn’t received any continued developmentsince its original 2015 release may never be revealed, though audiences have speculated about it. A fairly reasonable assumption is that FromSoftware doesn’t have any interest in making another console exclusive, as this would naturally limit said exclusive’s profitability relative to a multiplatform release likeElden Ring. Another possible explanation would be that FromSoftware doesn’t want to further explore the Gothic horror themes ofBloodborne, as indicated by its doubling-down on high-fantasy withDark Souls 3andElden Ring.
But both of these theories are proven false by the reveal ofThe Duskbloods. FromSoftware clearly doesn’t have an aversion to console exclusives, sinceDuskbloodsis only slated for a Switch 2release, and the game’s Gothic setting and steampunk tendencies show that the studio isn’t quite done withBloodborne’s artistic framing. Everything aboutThe Duskbloodssuggests that it would make much more sense on the PS5, so its release on the Switch 2 may be interpreted as Nintendo picking up Sony’s slack.
The Duskbloods' multiplayer featureswould also make more sense on the PS5, Xbox, or PC, as these platforms are more associated with multiplayer gaming, as well as FromSoftware’s core demographic.
Sony’s Stab at Bloodborne 2 Doesn’t Need To Literally Be ‘Bloodborne 2’
There’s one more reasonwhy audiences haven’t seen aBloodbornefollow-up. FromSoftware president and lead designer Hidetaka Miyazaki has been open about his disinterest in sequels, and FromSoftware fans would probably boycott aBloodborne 2that wasn’t made with FromSoftware’s involvement, so it’s possible that this sequel-aversion on FromSoftware’s part is what has blocked the further development of theBloodborneIP.
But again,The Duskbloodsproves that a spiritual successor toBloodborneis something that FromSoftware is open to, andElden Ring Nightreignis evidence that the studio is willing to devise spin-offs for existing properties. With so much demand for moreBloodborne, Sony ought to realize that there’s a market forBloodborne-adjacent releases, and since mostBloodbornefans are already integrated into Sony’s ecosystem, aDuskblood-esque spiritual successor or spin-off on the PS5 seems like a no-brainer. Sony getting yet another FromSoftware exclusive to sit alongsideBloodborneandDemon’s Soulswould be a boon for both companies, and assuming thatThe Duskbloodsfinds success on the Switch 2, Sony should be leveraging all its resources to bring FromSoftware back into the fray. If not for a trueBloodbornesequel, PlayStation should at least be open to something similar.
WHERE TO PLAY
Developed for the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2, The Duskbloods is a PvPvE title with online multiplayer at its core, where up to 8 players vie for supremacy among themselves and against challenging foes.
Play as the “Bloodsworn”; a group that has transcended human strength thanks to their special blood, and throw yourself into a violent fray for “First Blood” as the twilight of humanity approaches.
