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Nintendo Opens Applications for Second Switch Online Playtest

The company is quadrupling enrollment to 40,000 participants for the confidential test of a still-unannounced service.

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Key artwork for the Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program
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Overview

  • Eligible applicants must be at least 18 years old, hold an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription and have a registered Nintendo Account in Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, Brazil or Mexico.
  • Applications open July 18 at 6 PM ET with formal registration beginning July 21 at 11 AM ET and spots allocated on a first-come, first-served basis.
  • Participants can apply individually or as part of a group, and Nintendo expects to accept up to 40,000 players worldwide for the July 28–August 10 test window.
  • Nintendo is enforcing strict non-disclosure rules following leaks in the October 2024 playtest that prompted DMCA takedowns and fueled speculation.
  • Leaked screenshots and recent patent filings suggest the trial involves an MMO-style planet-building game directed by veterans of Splatoon.