Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition brings FromSoftware's epic to Nintendo Switch 2

FromSoftware’s sprawling open-world epic has officially arrived on Nintendo's next-generation hardware. Eurogamer has published its first impressions of 'Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition' on the Nintendo Switch 2, revealing a port that manages to balance high visual fidelity with some notable performance hurdles.

In docked mode, the game generally maintains a steady 30 FPS, with Eurogamer reporting that the visuals look "near-enough as wonderful" as the PC version. Beyond the technical port, this edition introduces new content for players, including two additional starting classes. One of these new classes specifically introduces a new Light Greatsword to the game's extensive arsenal. However, the experience is not without friction; the reviewer noted that loading screens are slightly longer than those found on other platforms.

The Technical Challenge

Bringing Elden Ring to a handheld ecosystem represents a massive technical undertaking. As one of FromSoftware's most demanding titles, the game relies heavily on precise timing and frame stability to facilitate its notoriously difficult combat. While the general performance is promising, the transition to the Switch 2 hardware has not been seamless.

A Eurogamer reviewer noted that "once you're used to how thick the air feels at lower FPS, the Tarnished Edition otherwise runs as smoothly as you'd hope in docked mode." Despite this general stability, the game falters during the most intense sequences. Significant frame drops were observed during the Red Wolf of Radagon boss fight, with the reviewer stating they experienced "frame drops so damning that it was any wonder I survived some of them."

Industry Implications

This release serves as a critical early benchmark for the Nintendo Switch 2's actual capabilities. The fact that a title of this scale can run with PC-adjacent visuals suggests a significant leap in power over the original Switch. However, the instability during high-action sequences raises questions about the console's ceiling. If the base game struggles during certain boss encounters, there are concerns regarding how the hardware will handle the most demanding segments of the 'Shadow of the Erdtree' DLC, particularly the final encounter with Promised Consort Radahn.

What to Watch

As more players get their hands on the Tarnished Edition, the community will likely focus on whether these frame drops are isolated incidents or systemic issues. It remains to be seen if FromSoftware or Nintendo will release a day-one patch to stabilize the frame rate during boss encounters. For now, the port stands as a testament to the Switch 2's ambition, even if the execution in high-stress scenarios remains unpolished.