The Duskbloods Network Test is your chance to play FromSoftware’s Switch 2 exclusive ahead of release.
It takes place in late August, and due to the closed nature of the test, interested participants had to first apply in a sign up period during July.
Developer FromSoftware — who also created the likes of Dark Souls and Bloodborne — has a busy summer on Switch 2, with Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition also arriving in August.
Note. Following server issues for the first two hours of the session which appeared to affect all players, FromSoftware has confirmed the cancellation of the first session:
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience caused to those who were waiting for the first The Duskbloods network test due to game server issues. We regret to inform you that today’s session is now closed. We will continue to work on improving the servers and will announce future schedules at a later date.
The Duskbloods Network Test will operate across five sessions, each one running for four hours each. The dates and times are as follows:
| Session date | BST (UK) | CEST (Western Europe) | EDT (East Coast Americas) | PDT (West Coast Americas) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saturday, 22nd August | 3am to 7am | 4am to 8am | 10pm (21st) to 2am | 7pm to 11pm (21st) |
| Saturday, 22nd August | 7pm to 11pm | 8pm to midnight | 2pm to 6pm | 11am to 3pm |
| Sunday, 23rd August | 11am to 3pm | 12pm to 4pm | 6am to 10am | 3am to 7am |
| Monday, 24th August | 3am to 7am | 4am to 8am | 10pm (23rd) to 2am | 7pm to 11pm (23rd) |
UPDATE: Applications closed on Monday 27th July, with successful applicants notified on Friday 7th August if they were successful. Codes were distributed on Tuesday 18th August
If you were successful, the message should look something like this:
If successful, you can find your code on the Duskbloods website where you initially signed up. Log into your account and it’ll be ready and waiting for you. The download size is 3.9GB.
Additional information is also provided, including how to report bugs and complete the all-important survey from 21st August to relay your thoughts about the test. If you complete the survey, you’ll receive a Duskbloods wallpaper.
To access The Duskbloods Network Test, you must sign up first. The registration period runs between Wednesday, 22nd July at 3pm BST (UK) and Tuesday, 28th July at 2:59pm BST (UK).
Sign ups will be available on the official website. Note: to sign up to The Duskbloods Network Test, you must have a Nintendo Switch 2 console and an active Switch Online membership.
As part of the process, you must link your Nintendo account. If you come across an error message, make sure you open the dropdown menu on Nintendo’s website and tick the ‘Country/region setting’ along the way.
Once done, successful applicants will be notified on Friday, 7th August at 2pm UK time. This means there’s no guarantee you’ll get access by signing up. Either way, you must first apply during those above July dates to be contention.
The exact nature of The Duskbloods Network Test is under wraps, but the official website – and a look at past FromSoftware Network Tests – gives us some idea of what to expect.
Here’s how the official site describes the Network Test:
A network test involves using a pre-release version of the game to test performance prior to the commencement of service. We plan to conduct large-scale network load tests to check different technical aspects of the game’s online systems. We look forward to you taking part and helping us make The Duskbloods as good as it can be!
So far, so vague. But the site also mentions:
- It will support up to eight players “to participate together in each of the multiplayer matches”
- The test will support “a large number of players simultaneously”, suggesting sign ups will be fairly accessible
- It’s designed to test various network environments on the backend, but also assess data on game balancing for the designers
- That elements of the game may change ahead of release
- Posting and streaming of screenshots and video is prohibited, and that the Switch 2 Capture button will be disabled
The Duskbloods’ structure – where players enter a hub area before playing online muliplayer matches to defeat a boss and other scenarios – doesn’t sound too far removed from Elden Ring Nightreign, which also saw a Network Test prior to release; that was a fairly limited slice of the game – four classes, and a small handful of bosses to encounter on each run – and it wouldn’t surprise us if The Duskbloods’ own test will be similar in scope.
