The Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program seems 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 upcoming Nintendo 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 reply to a Wario64 update on the playtest. The user's screenshots have since been deleted, but user Nintendo Prime was 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 bit Death 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 your Nintendo Switch console. Here's hoping the next Nintendo Direct - whenever that may be - sheds some more light on this very interesting project.
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