Dark Souls 3 Network Stress Test now available for download; PS4 exlusive closed beta requires pre-registration, PSPlus Subscription, access code

By Staff Writer

Oct 14 2015, 05:42 AM EDT

FromSoftware's Dark Souls 3 will soon be ready for a closed beta testing next week. For the fortunate few who were able to register last month, the Dark Souls 3 Network Stress Test client is now available for download.

There are some pretty steep requirements to get in with the beta testing, like having a PlayStation Plus Subscription and the PS4 technical specs necessary in order to handle the large client file. According to GameRant, Dark Souls 3 developer FromSoftware announced and opened the network stress test registration last month to ensure the game's quality upon release next year.

An official Network Stress Test webpage can be found on the official Dark Souls 3 website. The page contains more information on the necessity for developers to conduct this atypical version of the closed beta testing environment. Since the game is heavily devoted to the online community, the controlled environment of the Network Stress Test is dedicated to testing the game servers for latency and optimization, checking the overall game system for bugs, and ensuring gameplay balance.

The Dark Souls III Network Stress Test client will take up as much as 3GB so make sure to have enough free space prior to download. Additional entry requirements state that participants must be a PlayStation Plus member, 18 years old or older, and must actively participate in all testing periods and provide info on bugs and other issues encountered during the testing proper. Testing schedule may vary depending on player locations around the globe. Network Stress Test will begin on the 16th of October at 8PM until 11PM PDT for the Americas. Same time schedule will continue the following couple of days, October 17 and 18. Last day of testing will be on the 18th October. Check out the official Network Stress Test schedule for the full list of testing times.

While the scheduled Network Stress Test exclusively set for PS4 systems, Dark Souls 3 will also be available for Xbox One and PC systems upon release. Dark Souls 3 is scheduled to release in Japan on March 24, 2016. The game will follow a worldwide release in April 2016.