Nintendo Wants More Testers For Its Secretive Switch Online Playtest, How To Apply
Nintendo is once again recruiting gamers for its Switch Online Playtest Program. While details of the program are still shrouded in mystery, Nintendo did confirm that it is the same service that it recruited testers for back in October 2024. The only thing Nintendo is willing to reveal about the playtest is that it is "related" to the existing Switch Online service. Past leaks suggest it could be some kind of MMO similar to Minecraft.
As much grief as Nintendo receives over its heavy-handed crackdown on unauthorized emulation (and rightfully so), Switch Online is a real gem. I recently revisited the service with my Switch OLED console to play some classic titles, including Double Dragon, Double Dragon II: The Revenge, River City Ransom (notice a theme?), and Kirby's Adventure, to name just a few of the more than 150 games available.
Regarding the playtest, Nintendo requires that hopeful participants are required to have an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership in order to apply. A base Switch Online membership runs $19.99 per year for an individual or $34.99 per year for a family plan (up to 8 Nintendo accounts), while the Switch Online + Expansion Pack cost $49.99 per year for an individual account or $79.99 per year for a family plan.
The Switch Online + Expansion Pack tier breaks down to around $4.17 per month (or $6.67/month for a family plan) and expands the base package with classic games from the Nintendo 64, Game Boy Advance, Sega Genesis, and few other perks.
You also need to own a Switch console in order to apply to the playtest, though it can be either the first-generation Switch or the new and upgraded Switch 2. It's not clear how Nintendo will go about selecting participants, but it's nice that the program isn't limited to just the Switch 2, which is difficult to find in stock.
The application process opens up today, July 18 at 3:00 p.m. PDT (6:00 p.m. EDT) and runs through Monday, July 21 at 7.59 a.m. PDT (10:59 a.m. EDT). You can apply individually or as a group. The actual playtest period runs from Monday, July 28 at 6:00 p.m. PDT (9:00 p.m. EDT) to Sunday, August 10 at 5:59 p.m. PDT (8:59 p.m. EDT).
If interested in participating, be sure to have a Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership, and hit up Nintendo's application page to apply.
