Nintendo has confirmed plans for a second phase of its Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program, with applications set to open on July 21. This upcoming round will allow up to forty thousand participants to experience an exclusive test session running from July 29 to August 8. As with the previous test held in late 2024, this playtest remains limited to members of the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack service.
Applications will open at 8:00 AM Pacific Time on July 21. Interested participants can register either individually or in groups of up to four, though all applicants must meet specific eligibility criteria. These include holding an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership as of July 17, being at least eighteen years old, and having a Nintendo Account registered in selected regions such as the United States, Japan, or several European and Latin American countries.
Nintendo emphasized that participants will need to download exclusive test software onto their Nintendo Switch or Nintendo Switch 2 system. The selection process will vary by region, with Japanese applicants entered into a raffle and participants from other countries chosen on a first-come, first-served basis. Notably, those applying as a group will either be accepted or declined together, and each Nintendo Account may only submit a single application.
The program is intended to evaluate online service features for the Nintendo Switch platform. However, strict confidentiality guidelines are in place, particularly after last year’s playtest saw significant leaks. Despite the inclusion of a non-disclosure agreement, footage and gameplay details from the earlier session surfaced online, sparking widespread speculation about the project’s nature.
Although Nintendo has refrained from officially confirming details about this project, the recurring playtests and leaked information point toward a significant online multiplayer venture. Whether this signals a larger shift in Nintendo’s approach to live service games or remains an experimental project under the Switch Online banner is yet to be seen.
