The Duskbloods New Closed Network Test Is Off To A Horrible Start

The Duskbloods Cancels Today's Closed Network Test After Telling Fans To Sit Closer To Routers Published Aug 21, 2026, 11:46 AM EDT Joshua Robertson is an editor for TheGamer, having working in news, guides, features, and reviews since 2022. They have written thousands of news stories, ranging from industry-breaking events, to smaller, more personal community pieces, and have covered several high-profile showcases such as The Game Awards and Nintendo Directs. Joshua is considered an expert in soulslikes, horror, JRPGs and everything Final Fantasy, having written extensive coverage for massively popular online titles like Final Fantasy 14. Sign in to your TheGamer account For those familiar with FromSoftware, we all know that online multiplayer is not exactly the developer's forte. Even in its single-player offerings, multiplayer has always been convoluted and a chore to set up, mostly because FromSoftware ties it into the lore. Sure, that's cool, but if I have to keep dingling that little bell in Bloodborne just to play with a friend, I am going to scream. It's been a bit better recently, having a successful multiplayer game under its belt with Elden Ring Nightreign, but it also had its fair share of struggles before release. Turns out, The Duskbloods is yet another multiplayer challenge that seems to be proving too much for FromSoftware to handle. Today was the first day of The Duskbloods Closed Network Test, as those invited rushed onto their gaming setups, only to find themselves stuck trying to log in. After a while of silence and still no improvements, FromSoftware released some rather bizarre advice via the official Duskbloods Twitter account, asking players struggling to try and sit closer to their home's router, or switch to a wired connection. It's all a little strange, and it's almost as if the next piece of advice from the studio would have been to turn it off and back on again. However, instead of advice, FromSoftware decided to pack the entire thing up and canceled today's Closed Network Test. In a statement on Twitter, FromSoftware apologized for the decision, saying that it is "truly sorry for this disruption while you were eagerly waiting." It goes on to explain that it will continue working on improvements to the game's servers, and that it will keep fans updated on future sessions going forward. No updates yet on exactly if future sessions will go ahead, but it's a start.To be fair to FromSoftware, the Closed Network Test is designed for this very purpose, as it's a stress test for the game's servers before launch, and it seems like those servers have been well and truly tested. That being said, it is getting a little ridiculous that FromSoftware consistently has these issues, even without a game's release date adding pressure on top.Hopefully, FromSoftware does actually get things going more smoothly, and those that have actually been invited can get into the game in future sessions and try things out for themselves. Systems Released 2026 Developer(s) FromSoftware Publisher(s) FromSoftware Multiplayer Online Multiplayer Number of Players 1-8 players