Nintendo’s mysterious Playtest is starting to leak

The trial software is now available for download before the start of gameplay, and requires 2.2GB of free space. The participants did not sign an NDA, but Nintendo asked in the terms and conditions of the test that users refrain from sharing any information about it – which has been done as well as can be expected. While Nintendo has started issuing copyright strikes to take the leaked media offline, screenshots and information about the playtest are still available on websites like X and Reddit at the time of writing.

This appears to be Nintendo’s attempt to develop its first MMO (multiplayer online) style game. According to the game’s description, “the goal is to work with others to completely ‘improve’ the vast, expanding planet by using the intelligence and resources put into the frame.” Players will encounter “new lands, enemies, and resources” as they progress, and use the “Skys” that build areas to improve the environment where they are placed. These Beacon zones are personal — players can only “move, lift, or arrange objects” in the areas they set, and cannot arrange anything within someone else’s Beacon.

There is a separate community center called “Dev Core” where players can level up, find items, and interact. Nintendo also describes “UGC (User Generated Content) features” for creating and sharing custom content, but players need to pass an in-game test to “demonstrate that you understand the importance of respectful communication” before this ability is enabled.

At first glance, the game shares some similarities with family-friendly MMOs Minecraft again Roblox. The IP is either completely new (because it doesn’t feature any recognizable Nintendo characters) or it’s a replacement for the game system itself – meaning it can be part of an existing franchise at release. What we do know for sure is that previous speculations suggesting that the playtest will bring GameCube titles to the Nintendo Switch Online service are likely to be confirmed.