Miyazaki's New Game Turns Out to Be 'Goose Goose Duck' in a Souls-Like Skin?

Summary

FromSoftware's new title, The Duskbloods, recently held its first online network test. When it was first revealed, many players considered it a spiritual successor to Bloodborne due to the word "Blood" in its title and the gothic art style. After the multiplayer mode was announced, comparisons to Elden Ring: Nightreign emerged. However, the actual test surprised everyone: the game is neither a Souls-like action RPG nor a traditional battle royale. Instead, it focuses on identity guessing and social deduction, earning it the nickname "Goose Goose Duck in a Souls-like skin." After the first day's server crash, players discovered that the core loop involves playing as different characters, hiding identities, completing objectives, and identifying hostile players through observation and interaction—similar to social deduction games like Goose Goose Duck or Among Us. This design completely breaks the stereotype players had of Hidetaka Miyazaki's previous works. Notably, as FromSoftware's first major attempt at non-Souls multiplayer gameplay, the game steps out of the comfort zone of difficulty and narrative, focusing instead on psychological battles and information deception among players. This may indicate the team is exploring new design paradigms, proving that a top-tier action studio can also handle lighthearted, social-oriented gameplay. For players, it means they can enjoy a…