Drew Swanson is a News Article Editor from the Pacific Northwest of the United States. Being a gamer all his life and enjoying everything from ARPGs like Diablo to JRPGs like Pokemon and Persona, his love of digging into game lore and history naturally led to a passion for sharing these ideas with others through writing. He has been writing about games professionally for over 4 years, with bylines as a Contributing Writer at High Ground Gaming for 2 years before joining GameRant. He also has a background in video game studies with a degree from Washington State University, where he also won the Showcase for Undergraduate Research and Creative Activities Award in 2021 for his writing and design work on the game Quest for Arete.
Nintendo Switch 2 owners will finally get the chance to try out FromSoftware’s upcoming soulslike The Duskbloods during a Closed Network Test scheduled for August 21-24. The Duskbloods is confirmed to be a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive game with both PvP and PvE gameplay elements. Fans interested in participating in this Closed Network Test can sign up for the chance to be included starting on July 22.
Originally revealed during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct in April 2025, The Duskbloods marks the first Nintendo-exclusive FromSoftware game in 23 years. The game is set during the Twilight of Humanity, where characters called the Bloodsworn take part in a competition for First Blood. Players get to take on the role of these Bloodsworn in multiplayer matches of up to eight players where they will fight against each other as well as NPC enemies.
The Duskbloods Confirms Closed Network Test Dates August 21-24, Sign-Ups Begin July 22
Posted by the official The Duskbloods account on X, FromSoftware has shared details on the upcoming Closed Network Test for the game in anticipation of its full launch still slated for later this year. Fans who are selected for this Closed Network Test will get to try a pre-release version of The Duskbloods in order to test the game’s performance before it officially releases. The test will allow up to eight players to experience The Duskbloods‘s gameplay in a single multiplayer match with the goal of verifying the ability of the game’s servers to handle the stress of its player load.
A Nintendo Switch Online subscription is required for participation in The Duskbloods Closed Network Test.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Rearrange the covers into the correct US release order.
Easy (5)Medium (7)Hard (10)
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Application Period
- Starting on July 22 (Wed.) at 7:00 a.m. PDT until July 28 (Tues.) at 6:59 a.m. PDT.
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Selection Announcement
- August 7 (Fri.) at 6:00 a.m. PDT
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Network Test Schedule
- Aug. 21, 2026 (Fri.) 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. PDT
- Aug. 21, 2026 (Fri.) 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. PDT
- Aug. 22, 2026 (Sat.) 11:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. PDT
- Aug. 23, 2026 (Sun.) 3:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. PDT
- Aug. 23, 2026 (Sun.) 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. PDT
Fans interested in signing up for The Duskbloods Closed Network Test can apply on the campaign’s official website. While FromSoftware hasn’t confirmed how much of the game will be accessible during this test, including which of The Duskbloods‘s playable characters will be available, it has confirmed that this test will only include a portion of the final game’s content.
Even with the announcement of this Closed Network Test, The Duskbloods still hasn’t nailed down a full release date. It’s still on track to release in 2026, but that window is rapidly closing in the second half of the year. Luckily, the fact that this Network Test is designed to stress test the game’s servers before its full release is a positive sign that an official release date is on the horizon. Even if they aren’t selected for this playtest, fans will want to keep an eye on those dates as it’s likely The Duskbloods will announce an official release date after the test has concluded.
- Released
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2026
- Multiplayer
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Online Multiplayer
- Number of Players
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1-8 players
