Nintendo Switch Online Playtest ProgramSwitch eShop

News Nintendo's "Mysterious" Switch Online Playtest Program Gets Another Patent

The playtest was extended to Switch 2 in July

Another patent has been published for the Switch Online Playtest Program, which was extended to Switch 2 users in July. According to Nintendo Patents Watch on Bluesky, the patent was originally filed in Japan in April last year and in the US in April 2025. The latest one was published in the US this...

• Fri 10th Oct 2025
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo

News Nintendo's Switch Online Playtest Program Returns, Includes Switch 2 Support

Update: The playtest is now officially underway

[Fri 18th Jul, 2025 00:55 BST]: Nintendo has announced it will be performing another Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program starting later this month. To apply and participate, you'll need to have a Nintendo Account and an "active" Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership. This is a test...

• Tue 29th Jul 2025
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo
• Expansion Pack

News Nintendo Still Doesn't Want You To Talk About The Switch Online Playtest Program

Good luck with that

Nintendo has announced it will be running another Switch Online Playtest Program later this month, and in the fine print of the application guidelines and "how to apply" section, it once again asks participants to "not discuss or disclose content" about this test. This request from Nintendo to not share content also extends to...

• Fri 18th Jul 2025
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo
• Leaks

News The Inventors Of Nintendo's Switch Online Playtest Appear To Have Been Revealed

A creative mix

Nintendo's Switch Online Playtest Program struggled to contain leaks when it went live last year and it looks like the inventors behind this concept have now been revealed. According to a new patent doing the rounds, the creative talent leading this playtest includes Yusuke Amano, Tsubasa Sakaguchi, Masaki Wada, and Shinya Yano. As...

• Sat 15th Mar 2025
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo

News Nintendo President Reiterates Switch Online Will "Continue To Be Available" For Switch 2

"We will continue to provide comprehensive services"

In case you somehow missed it, Nintendo has confirmed the Switch Online service will carry over to the Switch 2. With this in mind, during Nintendo's latest financial results Q&A, company president Shuntaro Furukawa reiterated how the service will "continue to be available for Nintendo Switch...

• Sun 9th Feb 2025
• Nintendo Switch 2
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo
• Polls

Talking Point What Is Nintendo Thinking Trying To Keep The Lid On This Playtest Program?

Would you kindly not discuss the new Nintendo thing?

Good news, everyone! We've played the mysterious Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program, an online-only experience that, according to Nintendo, is open to just 10,000 lucky participants. Oh yes. Team NL was ready and waiting earlier in October to rapidly register for this first-come-first-served...

• Thu 24th Oct 2024
• Talking Point
• Features
• Soapbox
• Nintendo
• Nintendo Switch Online

News Nintendo's Switch Online Playtest Is Already Being Streamed, Unsurprisingly

It told players to "not discuss or disclose content"

Just weeks ago, Nintendo announced it would be hosting a new Switch Online Playtest Program. As part of this, it told participants to "not discuss or disclose" anything about it, and pretty much straight away, information about what to expect was leaked online. Now, in an update, the playtest has...

• Thu 24th Oct 2024
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo
• Leaks

News As Expected, Nintendo Is Struggling To Contain Switch Online Playtest Leaks

It's all out there

As Nintendo opened the gates to its upcoming Nintendo Switch Online playtest for successful participants, it didn't take long for the classified content to be plastered all over social media. Indeed, if you search terms relating to the playtest on social media right now, you'll immediately be greeted by information and...

• Mon 21st Oct 2024
• Nintendo
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Online

News Nintendo's Mysterious Switch Online Playtest Program Is Now Accessible

If you got in, of course

The Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program is now available for successful applicants to download. Earlier in October the company announced the playtest and opened up registration for 10,000 application spots which were filled up in a matter of minutes. The lucky among us who got in received a message saying to return to...

• Mon 21st Oct 2024
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo

News Nintendo Announces Switch Online: Playtest Program Related To "New Feature"

Update: Registrations are now full

Update #2: [Thu 10th Oct, 2024 16:15 BST]: Well, as expected, that was quick. As per Nintendo's tweet, posted a whopping seven minutes after the application pages went live, registration for the 'test' is now full. The mystery continues until 21st October - check out the full details below and let us know in the...

• Thu 10th Oct 2024
• Nintendo Switch
• Nintendo Switch Online
• Nintendo
• Expansion Pack