Nintendo is forbidding Switch Sports play testers from sharing info on social media

Nintendo has prohibited Switch Online users participating in this weekend’s Switch Sports online play test from sharing any of their experiences on social media.

The sign-up page for the playtest states that, “by downloading and participating in the Nintendo Switch Sports Online Play Test, you agree not to publicly share any details from this online play test, including on your social media channels.”

The playtest, which will feature tennis, bowling and chambara, will be live from February 18, 2022, until February 20, 2022.

• Related: Switch Sports guide and tips

It’s currently unclear how Nintendo plans to police players who post images and videos from the playtest online. While Nintendo can disable the Nintendo Switch‘s in-built capture tools (and it appears to have blocked sharing on Switch Sports), external HDMI-based capture cards can’t typically be blocked by the system.

In order to participate in the test, players must redeem a code from the MyNintendo store. In the description for the item under “Important – please read the following information” it states:

“Participants are forbidden from sharing information about the Online Play Test publicly, including the sharing of screenshots or video footage from the game on social media.”

However, in order to redeem the item, players aren’t required to agree to any terms, other than those in the fine print. There also does not appear to be any notice within the Switch Sports play test software itself about not sharing information online.

The test will only be playable across the following times:

• Nintendo Switch Sports playtest times

  • February 18 at 7pm-7.45pm PT / February 19 at 3am-3.45am GMT
  • February 19 at 3am-3.45am PT / 11am-11.45am GMT
  • February 19 at 11am-11.45am PT / 7pm-7.45pm GMT
  • February 19 at 7pm-7.45pm PT / February 20 at 3pm-3.45pm GMT
  • February 20 at 3am-3.45am PT / 11am-11.45am GMT

The new iteration of the classic Wii Sports series will be released for Switch on April 29, 2022.

Nintendo said a free update will arrive in the summer, enabling players to play football matches with a Joy-Con controller and the leg strap accessory.

A second free update planned to arrive in the Fall will add golf to the list of playable sports.

Online play will be supported across all sports.

Nintendo has announced it will cease digital game purchases on Wii U and Nintendo 3DS systems in March 2023.