Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program participants leak contents early and it appears to be a collaborative MMO
It’s not GameCube games - sorry
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
TheNintendo Switch Online Playtest Programseems to be for a cooperative MMO where you work with others to develop a planet. It also doesn’t seem to be related in any way to the upcomingNintendo Switch 2, as we initially speculated.
Participants who were accepted during the application phase have now received access to a Nintendo Switch app containing information on the playtest, which officially begins on October 23.
X / Twitter user Ethan_ThisGuy appears to have been the first to post screenshots of the app,in a replyto a Wario64 update on the playtest. The user’s screenshots have since been deleted, but userNintendo Primewas able to salvage them.
We have three screenshots to peruse here, with each being accompanied by some text that goes some way to describing what kind of game this is going to be. The first screenshots details an area known as the Dev Core, where players can socialize with one another, as well as “level up your character, get items you will need for your journey” and more.
The main drive of the game - which is unnamed at the time of writing - seems to be a massive collaborative project between players. “In this game, the goal is to work with others to fully ‘develop’ a massive, expansive planet by utilizing creativity and farmed resources,” another screenshot reveals. “As you progress across the planet, you’ll discover new lands, enemies, and resources that will become essential to your journey.”
To develop the planet together, players will individually work on their own Beacon Zones. Another screenshot demonstrates the higher a beacon is placed in a zone, the wider its reach becomes. Presumably, this will allow players to travel further out into the world and eventually connect with other Beacon Zones and thus, more players. It’s all a bitDeath Stranding,isn’t it?
There’s little else to go off right now, but if you were lucky enough to be selected for the playtest, you’ll be able to start playing from October 23 until November 5. You’ll also need 2.2GB of storage space on yourNintendo Switchconsole. Here’s hoping the next Nintendo Direct - whenever that may be - sheds some more light on this very interesting project.
Get the best Black Friday deals direct to your inbox, plus news, reviews, and more.
Sign up to be the first to know about unmissable Black Friday deals on top tech, plus get all your favorite TechRadar content.
You might also like…
Rhys is TRG’s Hardware Editor, and has been part of the TechRadar team for more than two years. Particularly passionate about high-quality third-party controllers and headsets, as well as the latest and greatest in fight sticks and VR, Rhys strives to provide easy-to-read, informative coverage on gaming hardware of all kinds. As for the games themselves, Rhys is especially keen on fighting and racing games, as well as soulslikes and RPGs.
NYT Connections today — hints and answers for Friday, November 8 (game #516)
Best Dragon Age games in 2024 - every series entry ranked
Turns out most of us really don’t mind data centers
