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Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Launches on Switch 2

The Switch 2 port carries a Metacritic score of 91 from 41 reviews as of August 27, with outlets awarding it MUST-PLAY status, which signals the handheld version meets the bar set by the original release.

Key Facts

  • ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition released for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026, priced at 9,020 yen.
  • The Tarnished Pack, containing the new armor sets, origins, and Torrent appearance options, launched August 28 for 550 yen on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Steam.
  • The Switch 2 version holds a Metacritic score of 91 from 41 reviews as of August 27, with MUST-PLAY designation.
  • Nintendo's official YouTube channel published ELDEN RING for Beginners, a seven-minute guide video, on August 27.
  • Global cumulative shipments of ELDEN RING exceeded 30 million units as of March 2025, according to the press release.

Reporting from 5 sources: 4Gamer.net, GAME Watch (Impress), ASCII.jp, Denfaminicogamer, and 1 more.

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Launches on Switch 2

FromSoftware released ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026, at a price of 9,020 yen. This all-in-one version bundles the base 2022 action RPG with the SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE DLC from June 2024, four new armor sets, two new origins, and a feature to change the appearance of the spectral steed Torrent across three types. The new content is also available as the Tarnished Pack for 550 yen on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and Steam, requiring the separately sold base game. A preview by GAME Watch's Yuta Yashiro reported that the Switch 2 version runs comfortably in handheld mode with comparable graphical detail, and that the new Knight of Ides origin suits beginners due to its light greatsword with fast animations and long reach. The Heavy Knight origin offers high defense and poise, though starting equipment makes rolling a slow heavy roll unless pieces are removed. Nintendo's official YouTube channel published a seven-minute introductory video titled ELDEN RING for Beginners on August 27.

The Knight of Ides origin starts with the "Sword of Ides," a light greatsword from the SHADOW OF THE ERDTREE DLC, and scales with high Dexterity and Faith. Its default skill is "Impaling Thrust," which the preview notes is useful for breaking enemy stance. The armor set includes the "Silver Trench Helm." The Heavy Knight origin carries the heavy curved sword "Heavy Scimitar" and emphasizes Endurance and Strength. Its armor is comparable to the Banished Knight, Veteran, and Night's Cavalry sets. With starting gear, equipment load sits at "Heavy," making rolls slow. Removing the chest piece drops it to "Medium." Game Spark's beginner play report, written by a self-described Souls newcomer, details the first hours of the Switch 2 version. The writer chose the Samurai origin and measured load times for fast travel: about 9 seconds in TV mode and 11 seconds in handheld mode, traveling from the Weeping Peninsula to Liurnia of the Lakes. Both modes run at 1980x1080P. The report also documents the first boss fight against Margit, the Fell Omen, which took roughly eight hours of play across multiple attempts before falling to a combination of Sorcerer Rogier's distraction and the "Unsheathe" skill. The international review roundup on Metacritic includes standout scores: Eurogamer Portugal gave it 100/100, calling it a "very satisfying quality" port. Nintenduo described it as "a miracle on a handheld console" from FromSoftware, while noting some frame rate fluctuation. INVEN's 83/100 review flagged that resuming from sleep mode returns players to the menu.

Synthesized by Yomimono from the 5 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.

ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition Tarnished Pack FromSoftware Yuta Yashiro

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