Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Runs Well on Nintendo Switch 2, Reviews Say
The Switch 2 version delivers a stable 30fps where the Steam Deck version fluctuates between 25 and 40fps, giving portable players a more consistent option despite the lack of a 60fps performance mode.
Key Facts
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition releases for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026.
- The Switch 2 version runs at a fixed 30fps in both handheld and TV modes, with no performance mode option.
- Load times on Switch 2 internal storage are about 10 seconds for startup, retries, and fast travel.
- The edition holds a Metacritic average of 91/100 based on 42 reviews, with all 40 scored reviews positive.
- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition includes the 2022 base game, the 2024 Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, four new armor sets, two new origins, and three Torrent appearance options.
Reporting from 2 sources: Denfaminicogamer, Automaton.
FromSoftware's 'ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition' for Nintendo Switch 2 is set for release on August 28, 2026, bundling the 2022 base game, the 2024 Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and new in-game items. An Automaton hands-on report found the Switch 2 version runs at a fixed 30fps in both handheld and TV modes, with no frame drops, stuttering, or freezes during play. The author noted the resolution looked stable at around full HD in handheld mode, and load times for startup, retries, and fast travel hover around 10 seconds on internal storage, roughly twice as long as on PC or PS5 SSDs but half the wait of PS4 or HDD setups. The Switch 2 version omits the ray tracing found on PS5 and Xbox Series X|S, which the report says does not hurt the visuals. Meanwhile, overseas reviews aggregated on Metacritic give the edition a 91/100 average across 42 reviews, with all 40 scored reviews positive. TechRadar Gaming, DualShockers, and Nintendo Life each praised the port's stability and performance, with one calling it the best way to play the game on the go.
The Automaton report, written by a player returning to Elden Ring after several years, found the exploration, dungeon crawling, and boss battles as addictive as before. The author highlighted that the Switch 2 hardware runs on battery power at 20W, unlike the 200W draw of PS5 or Xbox Series X|S, which explains the fixed 30fps cap. Still, the frame rate stayed stable, and the author found the handheld resolution satisfying without precise measurement. Load times of about 10 seconds on internal storage were deemed acceptable in practice, despite being twice as long as desktop SSD environments.
Metacritic's aggregation shows strong critical reception. TechRadar Gaming awarded 100 points, calling it an almost perfect port of FromSoftware's masterpiece, while DualShockers gave 95 points and said the differences from other Switch 2 adjustments may go unnoticed unless actively sought. Nintendo Life gave 90 points, praising the dense open world, challenging bosses, and the DLC's performance. The edition adds four armor sets, two origins, and three Torrent appearance options, with the extra items planned for other platforms at a later date.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.