Easily one of the biggest surprises from last April's Nintendo Switch 2 Direct was the announcement of a Nintendo exclusive game from the Dark Souls developers, From Software. That game is The Duskbloods, and it seems to be a gothic online multiplayer game featuring vampires.
It's a very intriguing title, but it's been shrouded in mystery since its announcement. And even though it did appear in last month's Nintendo Direct, it was a brief appearance that did little to clear up exactly what the game is, only announcing that a Closed Network Test would be taking place... later in the summer. We didn't even get any specific dates!
Today, however, we've finally received more information on the Closed Network Test, including the exact dates and times when it will be held, and when you can apply to take part.
The official webpage for the Network Test lays out the schedule as follows:
- The Application Period opens on Wednesday, July 22nd, 2026 (a week from today!) at 7:00am PDT and runs through Tuesday, July 28th, 2026 at 6:59am PDT.
- The Selection Announcement will occur on Friday, August 7th, 2026 at 6:00 am PDT.
- The Network Test itself will run from Friday, August 21st, 2026 to Sunday, August 23rd, 2026 (or the day after depending on timezone). There will be five sessions of 4 hours each over that span where the Network Test will be open, so it won't be running continually all weekend sadly.
The session times are as follows:
- Friday, August 21st, 2026 - 3:00am-7:00am PDT
- Friday, August 21st, 2026 - 7:00pm-11:00pm PDT
- Saturday, August 22nd, 2026 - 11:00am-3:00pm PDT
- Sunday, August 23rd, 2026 - 3:00am-7:00am PDT
- Sunday, August 23rd, 2026 - 7:00pm-11:00pm PDT
Remember to convert the times to your timezone as necessary.
Even though I've never played a From Soft game before (unless sitting on the Elden Ring title screen counts), I certainly plan on applying for the Network Test, as I am very curious about what The Duskbloods is and would like to take it for a spin. I also still just think the simple fact that this game is a Nintendo exclusive From Soft game is incredibly cool, would've been unheard of just a few years ago. Call it shallow, but that is a big reason I'm interested in the game, I'll admit.
If you would like to learn more about The Duskbloods Closed Network Test, and/or you want to get ready to apply as soon as the window opens, check out the official website here!
