The Duskbloods gets a network test in August; here's how to join

FromSoftware, Hidetaka Miyazaki's studio behind Elden Ring and Bloodborne, has put The Duskbloods back in the spotlight. Ahead of its planned 2026 release, the Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive will run a closed network test, and the community can already start getting ready to fight for a spot.

What The Duskbloods is

The Duskbloods is an online multiplayer title focused on PvPvE, in which up to eight players compete for supremacy in so-called Dusk Battles, matches where the goal is to claim First Blood. Its dark setting and gothic aesthetic reinforce the kinship with Bloodborne, but here the pitch centers on competition and cooperation between players rather than the studio's traditional solo campaign. The game is exclusive to Nintendo Switch 2.

When the network test happens

The goal of the network test is to put the servers under heavy load, check the multiplayer's behavior and gather balancing and gameplay data. According to FromSoftware, the closed test takes place from August 21 to 24, 2026, with access windows that vary by region across those days.

The official schedule is as follows:

• Sign-ups: July 22 to 28, on the campaign's official site.
• Participant selection: invitations will be sent on August 7.
• Network test: August 21 to 24, at times that depend on your region.

How to sign up

To be in the running for a spot, players need to visit the official network test site once sign-ups open, choose their region and language, and fill out the form with a Nintendo account. Selection is not first-come, first-served: everyone who signs up enters a draw, and only some of the applicants receive an invitation on August 7.

The requirements to take part are:

• A Nintendo Switch 2 console;
• A Nintendo account;
• An active Nintendo Switch Online subscription.

FromSoftware has also asked participants not to share screenshots or videos of the test while it is underway.

Is your region included?

Here some caution is needed. So far, the information released does not include a closed list of eligible countries. Nintendo itself notes that Nintendo Switch Online is not available in every country and that, in some regions, downloading the test app may be limited to the local eShop. Availability should only be confirmed once the official site lists the regions when sign-ups open.

The recommendation, then, is to follow the campaign's official site from July 22: that is where FromSoftware should detail which regions can take part and how each player picks their server. If your region appears on the list, the sign-up process will be the same as described above.

What to expect from here

Network tests like this usually precede important server and balancing adjustments, and also serve as a showcase for the public to get their first hands-on contact with the game. For the Switch 2, it is also a chance to measure the console's online infrastructure in an ambitious multiplayer title. Keep an eye out: spots are limited and the sign-up window is short.