Soulslike remains one of the most thriving action genres today, with many new games being released constantly, offering fresh settings, innovative combat systems, and unforgiving difficulty for fans of challenging adventures. The rest of 2025, as well as the next few years, is poised to have no shortage of exciting new games inspired by the Dark Souls formula, including numerous anticipated sequels that build on the already strong foundations of their predecessors.
Some of the biggest upcoming soulslikes promise to shake up the genre substantially, bringing further experiments to the familiar formula, such as a new camera perspective rarely used before and even venturing into new multiplayer frontiers, following the success of Elden Ring and Nightreign. Below, we'll take a look at some of the most anticipated upcoming soulslikes, focusing on their unique gameplay mechanics and innovations for the genre.
All Soulslike Games Revealed At Gamescom 2025
From indies to triple-A sequels, Gamescom 2025 featured a lot of Soulslikes that were announced for the first time during its live events.
Given how thin the line is between classic action-RPGs and soulslike games these days, with fans constantly debating genre classifications, we'll include only games confirmed to be soulslikes. This means upcoming anticipated action games that may have some soulslike elements, such as Phantom Blade Zero and Swords of Legends, or titles we currently know very little about, like Black Myth: Zhong Kui, are excluded.
Upcoming Smaller Soulslikes Worth Keeping An Eye On:
- Kaidan
- Daba: Land of Water Scar
- The Relic: First Guardian
- Blackblade Revenant
- Yuangong's Sword Awakening
- Stonemachia
- Witches of the New World
Valor Mortis
Bringing First-Person Perspective To The Soulslike Genre
Valor Mortis
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike, RPG, First-Person
From the creators of Ghostrunner, Valor Mortis was one of the most pleasant surprises of Gamescom 2025. Its unique and fresh take on the soulslike formula makes Valor Mortis stand out, both for its bold and original setting of an alternate 19th-century Europe where Napoleon Bonaparte reigns supreme, as well as its full first-person camera perspective, which could prove a much-needed injection of drastic change into a genre dominated by third-person swordplay.
While the first-person view already guarantees significant fan attention for Valor Mortis, the game also offers a demanding combat system built around supernatural powers, as well as a dynamic combination of melee and ranged weapons used simultaneously. With all this on offer, Valor Mortis is shaping up to be one of the most intriguing upcoming soulslikes, currently expected to launch sometime in 2026.
Ballad Of Antara
A Free-To-Play Class-Based Soulslike Action
Ballad of Antara
- Released
- 2025
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action RPG
Despite being commonly perceived as a soulslike game, Ballad of Antara seems to occupy a middle ground between Dark Souls-inspired and traditional action games, while also being positioned as a free-to-play title with a multiplayer component, which draws comparisons to the upcoming action-RPG Where Winds Meet, launching this November. With that in mind, players will need to await further details to determine whether Ballad of Antara will satisfy the hardcore soulslike audience.
Upcoming Soulslike Games That Could Be The Next Bloodborne
Grin and bear it, Bloodborne isn’t returning anytime soon, but these games will be here shortly.
Still, judging from the early gameplay showcase, there's plenty for fans of the genre to be excited about, including gigantic boss encounters, stunning visuals, and exploration-oriented open levels in otherworldly dimensions. In addition, Ballad of Antara players will be able to play as different Emissaries, choosing unique classes and combat specialties based on their preferred playstyle. Despite still having a 2025 release window, the lack of recent updates suggests that Ballad of Antara may slip into 2026 or beyond.
The Duskbloods
Hidetaka Miyazaki's Newest Creation Hardly Needs Additional Advertising
The Duskbloods
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Action
A new game by Hidetaka Miyazaki and FromSoftware made quite a splash with its unexpected announcement at April's Nintendo Direct, promising a brand-new Victorian-era gothic universe rich with vampiric lore, evoking strong Bloodborne vibes, while taking a new step in the PvPvE evolution for the studio following the recent success of Elden Ring Nightreign.
The Duskbloods places competitive action at its core, featuring up to eight players as Bloodsworn, who explore and fight across vast maps in a unique multiplayer experience. Beyond that, the upcoming game is expected to deliver all the traditional highlights of a FromSoftware title, including challenging combat with unique blood-based abilities and traversal mechanics, rewarding exploration, and mysterious storytelling. The Duskbloods is currently scheduled to launch exclusively on Nintendo Switch 2 sometime in 2026.
Mistfall Hunter
A New Breed Of Competitive Extraction Soulslike
Mistfall Hunter
- Released
- March, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
Interestingly, The Duskbloods isn't the only upcoming soulslike built around competitive multiplayer. Mistfall Hunter is another ambitious PvPvE soulslike that can be played solo or with a team of up to three players, bringing the high-stakes extraction component into the spotlight and enriching the traditional formula with a fresh gameplay flow. Players must obtain valuable loot and extract from the map by defeating a powerful boss, or risk losing everything collected.
14 Soulslike Games For Co-Op, Ranked
If you're looking for a challeneging Soulslike game that you can play with friends, give one of these a try!
With its emphasis on extraction, Mistfall Hunter boasts a layered, fast-paced combat system fueled by a “precision aiming” system that allows players to chain together attacks in longer combos and strike enemy and boss weak spots. The game offers five distinct classes — Mercenary, Sorcerer, Blackarrow, Shadowstrix, and Seer, with players able to freely switch between two different weapons or combat styles and combine abilities with teammates for synergistic effects. Another beta for Mistfall Hunter is scheduled for September 2025, while the full launch is expected later in 2025.
Lords Of The Fallen 2
Expanding On The Unique Two-Realm Exploration Feature
Lords of the Fallen II
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike, Action RPG, Adventure
Now, onto the sequels and other follow-ups to the already established soulslike gaming series. Lords of the Fallen 2 is one of them, serving as a direct sequel to the 2023 game, which, in turn, is a soft reboot of the 2014 original. While details about the upcoming sequel remain limited, it is teased to elevate the strengths of its predecessor, such as its brutal dark fantasy aesthetics and shattered world, where players can seamlessly shift between the realms of the living and the dead, taking these elements to an entirely new level.
The developers have confirmed the return of the standout two-realm feature, allowing players to pass between the living world and the Umbral realm using the Umbral Lamp, while hinting that the two realms “begin to bleed into one,” suggesting exciting new gameplay possibilities. Players can also expect an expanded, interconnected world with stunning visuals, greater enemy and boss variety, a refined combat system with flexible character building, and an expanded weapon arsenal. Lords of the Fallen 2 is currently expected to launch sometime in 2026, but its PC version is coming exclusively to the Epic Games Store.
Mortal Shell 2
Standalone Sequel With Re-Thought Approach To Combat
Mortal Shell II
- Released
- 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- Genre(s)
- Soulslike, Action RPG, Fantasy
Another ambitious standalone sequel, Mortal Shell 2 promises to significantly expand on the original's unique feature of playing as the Harbinger, capable of possessing forgotten warriors' Shells, which can be awakened, upgraded, and switched as players see fit. The combat in Mortal Shell 2 will be unrestricted by stamina, demanding that players shatter enemy posture to strike critically and brutally finish them off. In addition, some players believe the powerful and flexible Hardening ability from the original all but trivialized combat encounters in the first game, so it's curious to see the potential solution.
8 Best Mechanics That Every Soulslike Should Have
These welcome mechanics are things that every soulslike may want to consider implementing.
The scope of the sequel will be massively expanded, as the developers promise “more than 60 dungeons” with distinct challenges, albeit still placed in a relatively compact, interconnected world — a highlight of the original game. Greater weapon variety with more extensive upgrade options is also on offer. Mortal Shell 2 is currently expected to arrive sometime in 2026.
Code Vein 2
Stylish Vampiric Soulslike Returns With A Time-Travel Focus
Code Vein II
- Released
- January 29, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
- ESRB
- Teen / Blood and Gore, Drug Reference, Mild Language, Partial Nudity, Suggestive Themes, Violence, In-Game Purchases
- Genre(s)
- Action, RPG, Soulslike, Dating Sim, Open-World
Coming more than six years after the first game, Code Vein 2 offers a return to this anime-infused soulslike with a distinct combat system and partner characters who fight alongside the player. Retaining all the essentials of the original, the sequel explores time-travel narratives while bringing powers to manipulate time into the spotlight.
The developers behind Code Vein 2 have teased even more intense, adrenaline-fueled, and satisfying combat encounters, centered around vampiric mechanics such as draining blood from enemies to fuel a variety of devastating skills, while also promising robust customization for weapons and talents. The companions also return, with various characters available as partners to choose from, offering enhanced combat support and deep emotional connections. Code Vein 2 is expected to be released sometime in 2026.
Nioh 3
Another Step In Perfecting Ninja-Samurai Combat
Nioh 3
- Released
- February 6, 2026
WHERE TO PLAY
Team Ninja just can't stop delivering new takes on the formula with the Nioh series and Wo Long, now presenting a new chapter, Nioh 3. Building on the already strong universe with its fan-favorite and intricate combat system, the upcoming game features two distinct fighting styles, Samurai and Ninja, with players able to seamlessly switch between the two during battle to exploit yokai weaknesses or focus on one style to become an ultimate swordsman.
Like its predecessors, Nioh 3 will feature the online multiplayer mode called Expeditions, while also expanding the multiplayer component with the Summon Visitor mode, granting help from other experienced players in dire situations. With more open levels to explore than ever, an even greater roster of enemies, bosses, and gear to obtain, Nioh 3 is already among the most anticipated soulslikes for some players. It is expected to launch in early 2026, so fans won't have to wait too long.
Games That Are Having The BIGGEST 2025
Here are the most-played and discussed games that truly made a splash this year so far.