Nintendo has announced that their super secretive Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program will be returning, after they ran a similar test back in October 2024. The test’s contents are incredibly secret and meant to be kept under wraps, but certain leaks did still appear after the last round of testing. Without spoiling it, they had us very intrigued.
Nintendo wants to give the service another test, and they need us to log on and test out the servers all at once to gather more data for whatever their mysterious “service” is they’re planning to launch. If this sounds like something you’re interested in, sign ups are available later today, July 18, and we’re going to break down what you need to get in.
Firstly, you’ll of course need a Nintendo Switch or a Nintendo Switch 2, and you’ll need to be able to download the Playtest Program. To apply, you’ll also need to be an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack member as of yesterday, so if you aren’t yet then it’s too late to join. Finally, you need to be 18 years of age minimum as of yesterday, and have a Nintendo account registered to either Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Canada, Brazil, or Mexico.
If you meet that eligibility criteria, then you can apply to join the program, which can be done either solo or as a group. In Japan, players will be chosen via raffle, but across the rest of the world the players will be chosen on a first-come-first serve basis, so you’ll need to be fast. Last time they did this, applications barely lasted a few minutes before being completely full, so be quick.
To apply, you need to head to the official Playtest Program website right here, and scroll down to the ‘Advance to Application Creation‘ button. It’s currently greyed out, but as soon as applications open you’ll be able to click it and follow the application process. Applications start at 3PM PDT, that’s 6PM EDT, 11PM BST or 12AM CEST. There are 40,000 spaces available but these will disappear quickly, so be sure to be ready. If you’re applying as part of a group, be sure to have your friends/family ready too, and keep in mind that group members must belong to the same region.
Will you be trying to join the Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program later today? If so, good luck! Let us know any lingering questions you might have in the comments down below, and we’ll try to respond on time. Keep your eyes on GameLuster for more breaking gaming news and Nintendo coverage.
