Important takeaways
- Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program leaks suggest Nintendo is developing an MMO game.
- The Playtest program will be open to 10,000 Expansion Pass subscribers from October 23rd to November 5th.
- The MMO reportedly focuses on teamwork and customization as players shape a massive planetary environment.
Despite requests for secrecy from Nintendo, it looks like Nintendo Switch Online users are beginning to reveal details about its upcoming Playtest program, suggesting that Big N's mystery project could be some sort of MMO game. Fans were excited earlier this month when Nintendo announced that it would be testing a new feature for its Nintendo Switch Online service, and if these leaks are to be believed, it could very well be its first real stab at a massively multiplayer online experience.
The Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program will run from October 23 to November 5, and approximately 10,000 subscribers to the service's Expansion Pass tier will be able to participate. Beyond these details, Nintendo hasn't revealed exactly what will be tested, only describing it as a “new feature.” That lack of information hasn't stopped players from getting excited, and it may well have been the reason why every slot in the Playtest program filled up in under a minute. In preparation for the test, Nintendo has reportedly requested that participants refrain from sharing any information about the feature being tested. But as you'd expect, this request is largely being ignored, and screenshots and other details from the playtest have started leaking onto social media faster than Nintendo can get them removed.
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According to reports from sources like The Verge and Kotaku, these leaks reveal that Nintendo is working on an MMO game where the main objective is for players to work together to “fully 'evolve' a massive, expansive planet.” They do this by laying down “Beacons” that create zones and further develop the environment, with the overall goal of covering the spherical grid representing the planet with beacons. In addition to these Beacon Zones, players can also head to a social hub called the “Dev Core” to level up their characters, acquire items, and interact with other players, something they'll likely be able to test to some extent during the Nintendo Switch Online Playtest Program.
Switch online game testing software leaks point to Nintendo's first MMO
Customization seems to be a key aspect of this Nintendo Switch MMO, as players will be able to customize their Beacons to some extent, although they won't be able to do the same in other players' zones. Nintendo also describes features for sharing custom content, though players must pass an in-game test to show they “understand the importance of respectful communication” before they can access these features.
By the looks of it, Nintendo's MMO could be something like a massive multiplayer mash-up of Minecraft and Robloxwith potentially thousands of players shaping the game world together and sharing custom content with each other. Such a title would really stand out from the company's regular game lineup, so it will be interesting to see how things develop beyond the Playtest program.
Nintendo Switch
The Nintendo Switch is a hybrid console launched in 2017, which can be played in handheld mode or docked to a television. The Switch Lite, a handheld model, followed in 2019, with an OLED update coming in 2021.