The Duskbloods: FromSoftware Network Test Plagued by Massive Server Issues

FromSoftware's new Switch 2-exclusive project had a rough start with its first public test run. The network test for The Duskbloods kicked off on August 21, 2026, but the studio was forced to prematurely cancel the first session due to massive server issues.

What Went Wrong with The Duskbloods' First Network Test?

Shortly after the first of five planned test phases began, reports started pouring in from selected Switch 2 owners: instead of reaching the main menu, many players found themselves stuck in a login loop, displaying the error message “Failed to log in.” FromSoftware grappled with the server-side issues for about two hours before the developers decided to pull the plug and completely end the session. The main issues reported were:

• Login errors prevented a large number of testers from accessing the main menu
• The first session was prematurely ended after approximately two hours
• The test was initially designed as a server load stress test, spanning multiple time windows until August 23rd/24th

How Did FromSoftware React to the Server Issues, and Will the Test Continue?

Via the official X-account for The Duskbloods, FromSoftware apologized to all waiting players and announced they would work on server stability before proceeding with further sessions. Shortly thereafter, good news arrived for the community: the second session was scheduled to take place as planned that same evening at 10 PM local time. The network test is also happening amidst a content leak – just before the official start, approximately two and a half minutes of gameplay footage had surfaced, showcasing a 3-on-3 “Grail Battle” mode featuring the playable Bloodsworn characters Walter, Gillian, and Rust-Gospel Baldur, complete with fast aerial combos and jump maneuvers.

This entire situation must be understood within the context of an unusual project for FromSoftware: After years defined by single-player-focused Soulslike successes, the studio is venturing into PvPvE multiplayer for the first time with The Duskbloods, supporting up to eight players simultaneously in a world reminiscent of Bloodborne. Such a genre shift naturally introduces entirely new technical challenges that would never have presented themselves with purely single-player titles – and server stress tests like this are precisely designed to uncover such issues before release. From our perspective, a rough first network test is certainly frustrating, but no cause for panic: what matters more is how quickly FromSoftware implements fixes before The Duskbloods officially launches. We’ve already covered initial hands-on impressions of the game in our article The Duskbloods: First Hands-ons Are Here – and Nintendo Denies Release Date.

An official release date for The Duskbloods remains unconfirmed. Until then, more network tests are likely to follow, where FromSoftware will need to demonstrate that its server infrastructure can handle the anticipated rush on the new Nintendo console.

Source: Nintendo Life, Kotaku, VGC

Were you part of the network test and affected by the server issues? Let us know in the comments!