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 the application page on 21st October.
Related to what Nintendo calls a "new feature", applicants had to be over 18 years old and it was only available to NSO Expansion Pack subscribers in Japan, the USA, the UK, France, Germany, Italy, and Spain.
On heading to the playtest page, participants are greeted with a sizeable End User Licence Agreement and have to confirm their understanding before receiving a code — and disclosing details about the software is one of those restrictions, unfortunately.
The actual software isn't playable just yet — the playtest will be running from 24th October to 6th November — but of course details are already circulating on social media, so if you didn't get in and are desperate for info... it's out there, naturally!
Bearing in mind the restrictions, we won't be able to deliver coverage of the playtest at this stage. We will say that if you were expecting GameCube games, it ain't that!
Feel free to let us know if you got in below - just be careful what you share lest Nintendo's ninjas appear behind you brandishing those razor-sharp EULAs.
Comments 55
Finally building modern voice chat into the Switch OS Nintendo?
Was gutted I didn’t get into the trial, however after reading about what it is I now know I likely wouldn’t have bothered to try it and the space would have gone to waste.
Still, I am a little bit intrigued somewhat to see what game this online social experiment eventually morphs itself into.
I looked up the details on other sites, and wow what a disappointment.
All downloaded now. Not entirely sure what to make of it yet, but my first instinct is probably not my kinda thing, but will give it a try. Hopefully my internet connection allows it to work, as they do say should be done on a TV and wired.
Opposite of most people here it seems, my first thought when I googled the full details was 'woah that looks fun!'. Actually really glad its something unexpected.
Nintendo trying to do something social is quite the rarity these days. Hopefully it'll be successful and encourage them to do more of this type of thing.
It looks very weird from the pictures and description plus not very fun. Presumably it's not an actual game but just a concept they're trying out to use in other games/software... placeholder essentially
Sounds like like they're planning to develop an MMO... I wonder if it's an existing franchise, if so I'm thinking Pikmin for some reason but who knows or could even be something like Miiverse/Mii RPG related... hmm
Any other ideas?
I don't even think the idea of Playtest is interesting for me.
It just same game rental service like PS Plus or GamePass.
I don't even like Free2play games, Online only games.
I just only subscribe basic NSO $20 for Online play but currently I still haven't renewed my NSO subscription due to prioritize the 3rd party games.
@RudyC3 If it requires a 2gig download for voice chat, then it's bloated spyware. Given the Switch is not a PC, I'm going to guess it's not voice chat containing bloated spyware (like Skype).
@Anti-Matter Rental services suck. I hope they don't do that, as it disproportionately impacts the poor. I have friends who trade games in all the time because they're poor and they have nothing to show for it. Whereas I have like 80 physical games because I don't need to trade in to buy a new game. It'll be the same with a subscription service. It looks attractive because you can play more for cheaper, but you'll spend a lot of money and have nothing to show for it. That's why I say it disproportionately impacts the poor.
Nintendo
Online
Play-test
Enrolment
Also known as NOPE
Is it good?
Nope.😜
Based on comments here it seems the little I've seen is true and if that's the case I'd say it's certainly something that won't be everyone's cup of tea, but it's an interesting concept and it all depends on how they execute it!
Anyway, so glad it's not GameCube, I'd rather that be an app you fully download like the rest of the NSO retro apps because as I mentioned yesterday that not only allows you to play them offline after doing the weekly check for Nintendo to see if you still have an active subscription, but when the service gets discontinued (not happening anytime soon - check one of the comments I left yesterday for all the references - but at some point it will) you'll still be able to access them through modding at least!
If this is really an MMO, I'm pretty sure it's just a prototype, the first glance at something that will be huge in the future, when the Switch 2 has already sold quite a few millions, and there is a lot of online users out there.
For now, they want to check if people like this new idea, and how they can improve it.
What a let down. I managed to get in and feel bad that someone else missed out.
As I said on the thread, this is no GameCube NSO but this is actually pretty cool and I hope it releases to the public soon!
As usual with Nintendo it's something that nobody could have predicted, which I think is fantastic. Interested to see where this goes.
Although I have to say I don't understand all the Minecraft comparisons. So anything in a game that involves blocks is Minecraft now?
I didn’t get in but because information has been leaked, I think I have a brief idea on what it is but I can’t say what
I was at work when the applications went live, so I naturally didn't manage to fill it out in time. I'm a little bummed, but it's not that big a deal in the grand scheme of things. Hopefully the nature of this playtest will be revealed once it's all said and done.
The leaks look pretty interesting, though I'm not sure about those character designs. I'm up to try an MMO every once in a while, so hopefully it eventually gets a full release.
Looks pretty cool to me. With the dedicated community Nintendo has if they get the feature set of this thing right it could be absolutely massive.
Have it already installed, and waiting to play it. Just looked the info about what it is and looks interesting for me. I don't like at all MMO and/or F2P games but still want to test it.
Who would've guessed Nintendo was getting into erotic visual novels?
man this leak is so disappointing, what little interest I had in what this play test was about is gone GameCube would have been so much better
I'm pretty sure it's gonna be the removal of nostalgia for rent. Cuz Nintendo really cares about it's legacy.
Gee
Another
Mysterious
Exciting
Charged
Unknown
Bolstering
Emphasis
It would be a great frame for a new open world animal crossing game!
I'm not at all surprised it isn't GCN games.
Open world miitomo
I have no idea what it is. For all we know, they could be copying XBox and PlayStaiton, and doing up a Games Streaming Service, like XBox Game Pass, or PlayStation Plus, and it would require you to use it at home, and never on the go, unless you have Mobile Wi-Fi!
Wait, all it is is voice chat and working together to make a world?
Damn I'm glad i didnt get in now
Absolutely baffling to me why so many people thought this would be something to do with Gamecube games. Why on Earth would that require a 10,000 person strong playtest?
I looked up the details and am interested in Nintendo’s take on such a genre. I think it could it be neat.
Sounds like a very Nintendo idea and not at all what I thought this was going to be. That said, this isn't a new "feature," as much as its a new software being added to the service in the future.
Kind of stinks that they didn't let people know outright what it was because I've already seen about 5% of the people that signed up see the leaks and aren't even going to test it.
I've read some info on the play test and it's basically to "test the boundaries of mass multiplayer functionality and gameplay on the servers".
Basically Nintendo are planning some MMO's for the Switch 2, which goes hand in hand with the Pokémon leaks as their was an MMO mentioned.
Weird that NintendoLife is fine reporting on all sorts of Rom and emulation stuff, but THIS PLAYTEST is where they draw the line. Can't dare break this "veil of secrecy"!
Looks like Nintendo throwing another curveball!
I quite like the concept of this even though live service type games aren’t my thing.
Sad to see someone already breached the agreement and leaked it.
Why is it that people are so set on leaking everything these days?
@Ooccoo_Jr Emulation can be tricky
@Dom_31 that's why you have beacons. A zone where no one can touch your stuff
A Redditor had the idea of, what if it's not a new game per se, but rather MMO features integrated into the Switch 2 OS itself? Kind of like an evolution to Wii U's Home Screen:
Everything we see could be placeholder designs or details, but what if the bones of what Nintendo is testing could become a new PS Home-esque interactive OS for the Switch 2?
Thinking of the mechanical potential for what Nintendo is testing is actually much more exciting than the design or game elements other users here are dismissing on the surface.
@Ulysses That's very interesting, and a very Nintendo thing to do. Considering they always like some kind of innovation in their consoles, but rumors suggest Switch 2 is literally a better version of Switch, this could be that innovative thing they emphasize.
@BLD Just go to NintendEverything, which is reporting on the leak.
NintendoLife is more like an online blog where its articles are designed for user engagement, which is fun, but if I need actual reporting, I go to places like NintendoEverything.
You can kind of tell NintendoLife has a close enough relationship with Nintendo and is afraid of rubbing them the wrong way.
@KimBread Exactly. Switch 2 is Nintendo's opportunity, and as the rumors suggest, more a challenge, to innovate with software rather than with hardware, and this would be a great way to do that.
@Bunkerneath Not sure if you are joking or...?
The playtest is them testing online server for life service games (similar to games like Concord, Temtem, and Fortnite) so if you're expecting anything special, it's not. You could say but some of those games were already on Switch, yes some of those are but those are only from 3rd party, these newer live service playtest will be from Nintendo so if you ever want a live service of a Legend of Zelda or Pokemon game your wish is about to come true.
It's an original Nintendo game, by that alone it surpasses my expectations. Not sure what people wanted from this, that some are disappointed. Paying rent for playing more old games?
I still don't see how ppl thought it would be GCN games lol...
It's just some random mmo. Too bad it will probably die fast
What's with the negativity on this site recently, this is like the best case scenario. It's something unique, weird and creative instead of testing boring features like voice chat and GameCube games.
Half the comments on here are just complaining or saying they're 'disappointed'. How are you disappointed with an unreleased product that you didn't even get or care enough to try for the chance to be a part of? Is everyone missing the irony in that?
This has to be one of the worst comments sections I have every read. No official news has been released yet it seems that people know varying amounts through leaks, that may or may not be true. Adding to that their review of what they have been told or seen, without exeperiencing it themselves.
Personally I am looking forward to trying something that I know nothing about, and will try and avoid too much more of the negativity.
Seeing this white on black grid all I can think of is "MEGA DRIVE"
It's going to be called, "Pikmin Planet." You heard here first folks
Love how people are mad and let down by something that obviously was going to be what it says it is (shocker I know), a play test. This is a proof of concept for an actual audience so they can build it out more and nothing more than that.
@LadyCharlie why was it disappointing ?
Are they testing GameCube games for NSO
@Ninfan No it's not related to gamecube at all. That's one of a few reasons it was a disappointment.
@KIRO Given what I already know about it, I believe it.
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