Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program Unveils New Cooperative Planet Development Game

Nintendo has provided fresh insight into its recently announced Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program, putting an end to weeks of speculation within the gaming community.

Today, the official Nintendo Switch Online website was updated to clarify the central focus of the Playtest Program: an all-new cooperative game experience designed exclusively for Nintendo Switch Online members. Originally unveiled with little context, the Playtest Program had sparked a variety of theories ranging from new GameCube game support on the Nintendo Switch Online service to the return of beloved features like Miiverse.

However, Nintendo has now set the record straight.

The company aims to test a game that challenges players to collaborate and creatively shape a massive, evolving planet within an online multiplayer framework. According to official images and descriptions shared by community sources such as X user Ethan_ThisGuy, the gameplay centers on team-based world-building.

Players are tasked with working together to "fully develop" expansive planetary blocks.

By harnessing creativity and strategically allocating in-game resources, participants will unlock new lands, encounter unique enemies, and discover valuable materials as they progress. A defining feature of the experience is the introduction of Beacons—interactive points that "emit a healing light to purify and develop the land." Players must repeatedly use these Beacons to restore and advance specific sections of the planet in order to achieve a fully developed state.

Each iteration offers fresh landscapes and challenges, encouraging ongoing player engagement and cooperative strategies. Additionally, the "Dev Core" functions as a central social hub in the game.

Here, players can gather, interact, level up their characters, and exchange items.

The hub is designed to foster community interaction, supporting a dynamically social component to the overall gameplay. Shortly after the Playtest Program was announced, Nintendo requested that participants refrain from sharing details publicly.

However, as is commonly the case in today’s interconnected online environment, news and images quickly surfaced, offering a preview of the upcoming cooperative title. The Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program is set to commence officially this Wednesday.

Selected Nintendo Switch Online members will have the opportunity to participate in the playtest and provide valuable feedback, further shaping the title’s development.

Nintendo continues to prioritize innovation in its online offerings, underscoring its commitment to engaging and community-driven experiences on Nintendo Switch. Gamers interested in the latest news can revisit the original Nintendo Switch Online: Playtest Program announcement via Nintendo Direct, the eShop, or the official Nintendo website for additional details and upcoming updates.

Nintendo Switch Nintendo Nintendo Switch Online Switch Online Switch