FromSoftware fans finally have hard dates to plan around. The Duskbloods, the studio’s Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive, will hold a closed Network Test running from 21 to 24 August 2026. Nintendo confirmed the schedule through a post on its UK account, as reported by Video Games Chronicle. This is the closed test first teased during the June 2026 Nintendo Direct, now with a firm window attached.
How and when do you apply for the Duskbloods Network Test?
Applications open on 22 July 2026, and you must hold an active Nintendo Switch Online subscription to take part. This is a closed test with limited slots rather than open matchmaking, so signing up is the only route in. Nintendo has published the dates and session windows, but the specific application URL and regional eligibility details are not spelled out in current reporting, so the safest move is to check Nintendo’s official channels directly once applications go live.
Nintendo listed five fixed test windows, published in British Summer Time. The UAE runs on Gulf Standard Time (UTC+4), three hours ahead of BST, so you can convert each slot by adding three hours as a rough local guide. Treat the converted times below as a convenience rather than an official Nintendo listing.
| Date | Time (BST) | Approx. UAE (GST) |
|---|---|---|
| 21 August | 11:00 – 15:00 | 14:00 – 18:00 |
| 22 August | 03:00 – 07:00 | 06:00 – 10:00 |
| 22 August | 19:00 – 23:00 | 22:00 – 02:00 |
| 23 August | 11:00 – 15:00 | 14:00 – 18:00 |
| 24 August | 03:00 – 07:00 | 06:00 – 10:00 |
The subscription requirement is the one non-negotiable. Nintendo Switch Online is what gates online play here, so if you have let yours lapse, sort it before 22 July rather than scrambling on test day.
What is The Duskbloods actually like?
The Duskbloods is a multiplayer action game where you play as the Bloodsworn, fighting against and alongside up to seven other players using unique weapons and abilities. Nintendo describes blood-based powers that transform your character and combat style as you battle to secure the coveted “First Blood”, which lines up with the eight-player PvPvE structure previews have consistently described. It is a departure from the single-player structure most people associate with FromSoftware, and the Network Test is the first chance for the public to see how that competitive-cooperative mix holds up in practice.
The game remains a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive with a 2026 release window and no confirmed date. That status was reaffirmed in February 2026, when parent company Kadokawa told an investor Q&A that both The Duskbloods and Elden Ring Tarnished Edition would arrive on Switch 2 this year. For anyone weighing up the hardware, tbreak has covered the confirmed Switch 2 price change in detail.
The short version: mark 22 July for applications, keep a live Nintendo Switch Online subscription ready, and block out the test windows above. FromSoftware’s most ambitious multiplayer swing is nearly playable, and August is where the theory gets tested.
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