The Duskbloods Network Test: How to Check If You Got In and When to Play

The official schedule lists five four-hour sessions. All Pacific times below use PDT, not standard time.

• August 21, 3:00 a.m.–7:00 a.m. PDT / 6:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. EDT
• August 21, 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. PDT / August 21, 10:00 p.m.–August 22, 2:00 a.m. EDT
• August 22, 11:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. PDT / 2:00 p.m.–6:00 p.m. EDT
• August 23, 3:00 a.m.–7:00 a.m. PDT / 6:00 a.m.–10:00 a.m. EDT
• August 23, 7:00 p.m.–11:00 p.m. PDT / August 23, 10:00 p.m.–August 24, 2:00 a.m. EDT

The August 21–24 wording used in some announcements comes from that final Eastern time session crossing midnight. On the official Pacific schedule, the last session begins on August 23.

FromSoftware also warns that sessions can change or be canceled without notice. Check the campaign page again before each block instead of relying only on a calendar reminder.

What you need to play

Being selected is only one part of the setup. You also need:

• A Nintendo Switch 2 system
• An active Nintendo Switch Online membership
• The Nintendo Account linked to the original application
• A stable internet connection
• The network test client downloaded with the code supplied on August 18

The test is not available on the original Nintendo Switch, PC, PlayStation, or Xbox. The full game is also announced as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive. FromSoftware's other upcoming Switch 2 release, Elden Ring Tarnished Edition, is a separate game and does not grant access to this test.

What is actually in the test

This is a limited piece of The Duskbloods, not the complete 2026 game. The official campaign page says each multiplayer match supports up to eight players. You play as a Bloodsworn, a supernatural fighter empowered by blood, and enter battles that mix other players with hostile enemies.

FromSoftware describes the full game as PvPvE multiplayer action. That puts rivals and computer-controlled threats in the same space, with room for temporary alliances as everyone competes for First Blood. It is a different setup from the open-world journey that made Elden Ring's difficulty part of a much wider conversation.

The developer is using these sessions to stress the game servers, watch for multiplayer problems across different network environments, and collect balance data from real matches. In plain terms, players are there to have fun, but the build is there to be pushed until something creaks.

Expect bugs and unfinished balance

A closed network test is not a polished demo. The campaign page directly warns that bugs may occur, and the three stated goals are server load, multiplayer stability, and game balance.

That means a rough frame-rate moment, connection failure, strange matchup, or overpowered ability should not be treated as a final verdict on the finished game. Those are exactly the problems the test is meant to expose. The useful questions are whether matches can start reliably, whether eight-player action stays readable, and whether the PvPvE structure creates tense choices instead of pure chaos.

FromSoftware has only given The Duskbloods a 2026 release window. The test schedule does not confirm a launch date, price, preorder date, or final content list.

Quick checklist before your first session

1. Open the campaign site and check the Account Page with your original Nintendo Account.
2. If selected, return on August 18 at 6:00 a.m. PDT for the download code.
3. Redeem the code and install the network test client on Nintendo Switch 2.
4. Confirm that Nintendo Switch Online is active on the account you will use.
5. Convert the session time to your local time and set a reminder.
6. Check the official page shortly before the session in case the schedule changes.

The application window will not reopen just because results are live. If you missed registration or were not selected, the practical next step is to watch for official gameplay and any future test announcement rather than trust code giveaways from strangers.

The short version

Check your result through the official Account Page now. Selected players receive their download code on August 18, and the five test sessions run from August 21 through the late hours of August 23 PDT. You need Nintendo Switch 2, Nintendo Switch Online, and the same Nintendo Account used to apply.

That is the whole route. No new application, no separate lottery page, and no code before August 18.