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If you are trying to join The Duskbloods Network Test after August 23, 2026, the original published test window has ended, so you cannot newly enter that test. During the active window, the most common fixes were linking the correct Nintendo Account, completing the Country/region setting, refreshing a stalled download from User Settings, and using the Nintendo Switch 2 connection test to identify network faults.
The test required a Nintendo Switch 2, an active Nintendo Switch Online membership, and the Nintendo Account originally linked to the application. The sections below separate expired-test and account problems from console, Wi‑Fi, and game-server failures so you do not apply a local fix to a server outage.
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First check whether the Network Test is still available
The Duskbloods Network Test Operations Bureau published download-code and game-data distribution for August 18, 2026, with test sessions running August 21–23, 2026. Those dates are the decisive first check. After August 23, a person who did not already join the published test cannot newly participate in that original test, even if the application or a download prompt remains visible on the console.
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|---|---|---|
| Console | Nintendo Switch 2 | The application was not a Nintendo Switch or other-platform test. |
| Subscription | Active Nintendo Switch Online membership | An inactive membership prevents an eligible application from being used for the test. |
| Account | Nintendo Account originally linked to the network-test application | Using a different Nintendo Account can cause an apparent login or eligibility failure. |
| Download-code distribution | August 18, 2026 | Selected participants began receiving the download code or game data on this date. |
| Published sessions | August 21–23, 2026 | Outside this window, new participation in the original test is not available. |
If all three requirements were satisfied but the current date is outside the session dates, do not spend time changing DNS, reinstalling the application, or repeatedly entering credentials. The timing, rather than your console, is the likely explanation.
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Use the symptom to choose the right fix
| Symptom | Most likely category | Best next action |
|---|---|---|
| “We were unable to obtain information necessary for your application” while linking an account | Incomplete Nintendo Account linking | Expose Country/region setting with See details/Edit, then select I Agree. |
| Download remains paused or does not advance | Console download state or Internet connection | Confirm Internet access, close software, use Update Download Progress, then restart if needed. |
| Connection test fails with an error code | Local network or console connection | Record the code and message, then follow the Nintendo troubleshooting article identified by that code. |
| Many players cannot log in at the same time | Game-server load or outage | Check official Nintendo or FromSoftware updates and retry after service is restored. |
| You never participated and are trying after August 23, 2026 | Expired test window | A new login or download is not available for the original test. |
Confirm eligibility before changing anything
1. Verify the hardware
The Network Test required a Nintendo Switch 2. A Nintendo Switch, Switch Lite, or another device cannot be made eligible by reinstalling the test application. Confirm which console is signed in before diagnosing a download or connection message.
2. Verify Nintendo Switch Online
An active Nintendo Switch Online membership was required for participation. If the membership expired, renew it on the Nintendo Account intended for the test and then retry the account or application check. Do not assume that a membership on a different family member’s account satisfies the account used by the application.
3. Use the originally linked Nintendo Account
The official Network Test site states that you must log in with the Nintendo Account originally linked to your network-test application. Switching to another account can look like a password, download, or server problem when it is actually an account mismatch. Sign out of any browser session using a different Nintendo Account, then sign in with the account that completed the original application.
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4. Check the calendar
The published sessions were August 21, August 22, and August 23, 2026. Download-code or game-data distribution began August 18. If you are checking after those dates, the original test is no longer accepting new participants; an unsuccessful login at that point is not evidence that your Internet connection is broken.
Fix the Nintendo Account linking error
Nintendo documented a specific remedy for the message “We were unable to obtain information necessary for your application.” The issue is resolved during account linking by completing the Country/region setting.
- Start the Network Test application or application-linking flow until Nintendo prompts you to link your Nintendo Account.
- Look for the checkbox or field labeled Country/region setting and select it.
- If the setting is not visible, use See details or Edit in the desktop browser account page. Those controls expose the information that must be reviewed before the link can finish.
- Review the displayed setting, then select I Agree to complete the link.
- Return to the application and retry once. If the published session window has ended, the completed link will not reopen that old test for a new participant.
Nintendo’s wording is important: when prompted to link the account, “check the box marked Country/region setting.” Treat this as an account-form completion problem, not as a reason to repeatedly reboot the console or replace your router.
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If the error returns
- Confirm that the browser is signed in to the Nintendo Account originally linked to the application.
- Use a desktop browser if the mobile view hides See details or Edit.
- Complete the Country/region setting and select I Agree before closing the page.
- Retry only after the account page reports that the link has been completed.
- If the retry occurs after August 23, 2026, interpret the result in light of the expired test schedule.
Unstick a paused or slow download
A download that appears frozen is handled first as a console download-state problem. Nintendo’s procedure does not require deleting the application as an initial step.
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- Close any software currently running. A game or other application can prevent the test data from making progress.
- From the HOME Menu, open the user page.
- Choose User Settings.
- Select Update Download Progress.
- Wait for the console to reconnect and check whether the test download advances.
- If it still does not progress, restart the console, allow it to reconnect to the Internet, and check the download again.
When the download is merely slow rather than fully paused, run the Nintendo Switch 2 Internet connection test. Address the error code or message it returns before attempting another download. A speed complaint without a failed test can still be caused by wireless signal quality, so compare the result from a position near the router and, if available, from a wired connection.
What not to do first
- Do not repeatedly cancel and restart the download before refreshing Download Progress.
- Do not leave another software title running while testing the download.
- Do not treat a download prompt after August 23, 2026, as proof that the test is still accepting new participants.
- Do not change account details when the console’s connection test has already identified a local network error; fix the network condition first.
Run the Nintendo Switch 2 connection test
Nintendo’s connection test is the deciding check for local network failures. Open the console’s Internet settings and run the built-in Internet connection test. Record both the numeric error code and the accompanying message exactly as shown.
- Move the console close to the wireless router, or connect by cable if your setup supports a wired test.
- Run the Nintendo Switch 2 Internet connection test.
- Write down the error code and message instead of relying on memory.
- Use Nintendo’s troubleshooting article associated with that code and apply the recommended network change.
- Run the test again. Only after it passes should you reassess a slow download or a game connection attempt.
Nintendo says that a failed test supplies an error code and message that can help identify the relevant troubleshooting article. The code is more useful than a generic “cannot connect” report because it distinguishes a console or network fault from an application or server issue.
Why a wired test helps
A wired test removes the wireless link between the console and router from the equation. If the wired test passes while the nearby wireless test fails, concentrate on signal strength, interference, or router placement. If both tests fail with an error code, follow the code-specific Nintendo guidance instead of assuming that Wi‑Fi is the only cause.
Retest after every material change
Run the connection test again after moving the console, switching connection methods, or applying the Nintendo-recommended fix. A successful test establishes that the console can reach the Internet; it does not guarantee that the The Duskbloods game server is accepting logins, so keep server-side symptoms separate.
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Tell a local connection fault from a server outage
Signs that the problem is local
- The Nintendo Switch 2 connection test fails and provides an error code.
- The problem occurs only on one console or one household connection.
- Moving near the router or using a wired connection changes the result.
- The download remains stalled while other players and services work normally.
Use the error code to select Nintendo’s relevant troubleshooting article, then repeat the connection test before retrying the Network Test application.
Signs that the problem is on the game server
- Several players report login failures at the same time.
- Your Nintendo Switch 2 connection test passes, but the game still cannot log in.
- The failure begins during a published session and affects otherwise eligible accounts.
- FromSoftware or Nintendo posts an incident or service update.
During the first Network Test session, FromSoftware acknowledged login problems with The Duskbloods Network Test game server, and the session was disrupted by server load. Local router changes cannot repair a provider-side outage. In that situation, check official FromSoftware and Nintendo updates and retry after service restoration.
Use a two-test comparison
| Console connection test | Game login | Interpretation |
|---|---|---|
| Fails with an error code | Fails | Start with the local network problem identified by Nintendo’s code. |
| Passes | Fails for one account | Recheck the originally linked Nintendo Account, Country/region setting, and test eligibility. |
| Passes | Fails for many players | Suspect game-server load or an outage and wait for an official update. |
| Passes | Download remains stalled | Close software, use Update Download Progress, restart, and retest the download. |
A complete recovery order
Following this order prevents you from mixing account, console, and server fixes.
- Check the dates. If the attempt is after August 23, 2026 and you were not already a participant, stop: the original test window has ended.
- Check the platform and membership. Confirm Nintendo Switch 2 and an active Nintendo Switch Online membership.
- Check the account. Use the Nintendo Account originally linked to the application.
- Complete linking. Select Country/region setting, use See details/Edit if needed, and select I Agree.
- Refresh the download. Close software, open the user page, choose User Settings, then Update Download Progress.
- Restart if necessary. Reboot the console and wait for it to reconnect.
- Test the connection. Record the Nintendo error code and message; test near the router and by wired connection where possible.
- Check service status. If the local test passes and many players fail, look for FromSoftware or Nintendo statements about server load or an outage.
Session facts that affect troubleshooting
Each multiplayer match could include up to eight players, according to The Duskbloods Network Test Operations Bureau. A large simultaneous player population helps explain why a login service can be stressed during a scheduled session, but it does not change the account or connection requirements.
The distribution date and session dates are also useful when interpreting old instructions, screenshots, or download notifications: August 18 was the start of selected-participant download-code or game-data distribution, while August 21–23 were the actual published sessions. They are not a continuing access period.
When to stop troubleshooting
Stop local troubleshooting in three situations:
- The published test window has ended and you were not an original participant.
- The Nintendo Switch 2 connection test passes, your account is correctly linked, and widespread login failures are being reported.
- The console’s error code continues to point to a network condition after you have followed Nintendo’s code-specific instructions; at that point, use the support path associated with that code rather than repeating unrelated account steps.
This boundary matters because no account edit, download refresh, or Wi‑Fi change can create access to an expired test or repair a game-server outage.
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