{"id":5129,"date":"2026-06-05T14:27:45","date_gmt":"2026-06-05T11:27:45","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/?p=5129"},"modified":"2026-06-05T14:33:06","modified_gmt":"2026-06-05T11:33:06","slug":"elden-ring-tarnished-edition-switch-2-release-date-august-28","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/elden-ring-tarnished-edition-switch-2-release-date-august-28\/","title":{"rendered":"Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Hits Switch 2 on August 28, 2026: Everything We Know"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<blockquote class=\"wp-block-quote is-layout-flow wp-block-quote-is-layout-flow\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have confirmed Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026. The edition bundles the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree, two new starting classes, four armor sets, and Torrent customization options.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elden Ring Tarnished Edition launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026. FromSoftware and Bandai Namco confirmed the date via the official Elden Ring X (Twitter) account on June 4, 2026, ending months of speculation after the port was delayed out of its original 2025 window. With over 30 million copies sold across platforms and more than 300 Game of the Year awards, this marks the acclaimed action RPG&#8217;s first arrival on a Nintendo platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Caused the Delay?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elden Ring Tarnished Edition was first revealed as the opening third-party title during the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct in April 2025, originally targeting a 2025 launch. Things took a rough turn at Gamescom 2025, where hands-on impressions were harsh. IGN described the handheld performance as &#8220;a disaster,&#8221; noting significant frame rate drops while exploring open areas like Limgrave. Bandai Namco even prohibited attendees from posting footage of the demo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">On October 23, 2025, FromSoftware officially delayed the release to 2026, stating the team needed additional time &#8220;for performance adjustments.&#8221; A Kadokawa Group financial report in May 2026 reaffirmed that both Elden Ring Tarnished Edition and the Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods remained on track for 2026 release. The concrete August 28 date was finally locked in during Summer Game Fest week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What Is Included in the Tarnished Edition?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Tarnished Edition is the most complete Elden Ring package available. It bundles:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The full base game:<\/strong> Originally released in February 2022<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Shadow of the Erdtree expansion:<\/strong> The major DLC from June 2024, adding the Land of Shadow<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Two new starting classes:<\/strong> Knight of Ides and Heavy Knight<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Four new armor sets:<\/strong> Two tied to the new classes, two obtainable in-game (including a reworked Lucatiel set from Dark Souls 2)<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>New weapons and skills:<\/strong> Including the Ida Sword (a unique Light Greatsword) and the Mirror Greatsword<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Three Torrent appearance customizations:<\/strong> New cosmetic skins for the spectral steed<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Knight of Ides starts at level 7 with a dexterity-leaning build and wields the Ida Sword, making it the only way to access a Light Greatsword before entering the DLC zones. The Heavy Knight begins at level 10 with 17 endurance and 15 strength, designed for players who prefer tanking through encounters. Both classes were first detailed at the FromSoftware Games Event Spring 2025 in Tokyo, covered by Famitsu and Dengeki.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is the New Content Coming to Other Platforms?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. Everything new in the Tarnished Edition will be sold separately on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam as the Tarnished Pack DLC, launching on the same August 28 date. FromSoftware previously stated the DLC would be priced affordably, though exact pricing has not been confirmed. The Tarnished Pack gives existing players access to the new classes, armor, weapons, and Torrent skins without needing to rebuy the full game.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How Does the Switch 2 Version Actually Run?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Performance has been the central concern throughout the port&#8217;s development. The Gamescom 2025 demo left a negative impression, particularly in handheld mode. However, subsequent showings have been far more encouraging. Kotaku&#8217;s Rebekah Valentine described a more recent build played at GDC in March 2026 as &#8220;extremely fine&#8221; and said it &#8220;did not run like shit.&#8221; Nintendo World Report&#8217;s hands-on at PAX West 2025 also noted that the demo was based on an improved build and allayed most performance fears.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The physical release ships as a Game Key Card rather than a traditional cartridge. Players insert the card to unlock a digital download of the full game. The US retail price is set at $79.99, matching the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition on other platforms while including the additional Tarnished Pack content on top.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Timeline: From Announcement to Release<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>April 2025:<\/strong> Revealed at the Nintendo Switch 2 Direct as the lead third-party title<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>May 2025:<\/strong> FromSoftware Games Event in Tokyo reveals two new classes and expanded content details<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>August 2025:<\/strong> Gamescom demo draws harsh criticism for handheld performance<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>September 2025:<\/strong> Improved demo shown at PAX West<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>October 2025:<\/strong> Official delay announced, pushed to 2026<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>February 2026:<\/strong> FromSoftware reassures fans no further delay has occurred<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>April 2026:<\/strong> Amazon pre-orders go live at $79.99 with a placeholder December 31 date<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>May 2026:<\/strong> Kadokawa financial report confirms 2026 release on track<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>June 4, 2026:<\/strong> August 28 release date officially announced<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why Does This Port Matter for Switch 2?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Elden Ring Tarnished Edition was the very first third-party game shown during the Switch 2 reveal, making it a flagship demonstration of the console&#8217;s capability to handle demanding current-gen titles. With the Switch 2 now over a year into its lifecycle, the port joins other ambitious efforts like Cyberpunk 2077 (which launched smoothly) and Skyrim (which required post-launch patches). A well-performing Elden Ring would further validate the hardware&#8217;s position as a credible platform for AAA third-party releases.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The port is not being developed solely by FromSoftware. Nintendo Life reported that an external studio is co-developing the Switch 2 version, which is standard practice for complex ports to handheld-hybrid hardware.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Key Questions Players Are Asking<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Does Tarnished Edition include Shadow of the Erdtree?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Yes. The full Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is included in the package alongside the base game and all new Tarnished Edition content. No separate purchase is needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Can I pre-order Elden Ring Tarnished Edition now?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Physical pre-orders opened on June 5, 2026. Digital pre-orders on the Nintendo eShop begin on June 11, 2026. Retailers like Amazon have had listings live since April 2026, though those initially showed placeholder dates.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Is the Switch 2 version digital only?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Both physical and digital versions are available, but the physical edition uses a Game Key Card format. The box contains a code that unlocks a digital download rather than a traditional game card.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Will the new content change how existing players experience the game?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The two new starting classes and additional weapons offer genuinely different early-game build options. The Knight of Ides provides the only pre-DLC access to a Light Greatsword, while the Heavy Knight&#8217;s stat distribution favours endurance-heavy tank builds. These additions arrive on all platforms via the Tarnished Pack DLC on August 28.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How does the $79.99 price compare to other editions?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Tarnished Edition matches the $79.99 price of the Shadow of the Erdtree Edition on PS5, Xbox, and PC. However, it also includes the Tarnished Pack content (new classes, armor, weapons, and Torrent skins) that other platform owners will need to purchase separately as DLC.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">After more than a year of waiting and one significant delay, Elden Ring&#8217;s arrival on Nintendo Switch 2 is now locked in. August 28, 2026 brings the Lands Between and the Realm of Shadow to Nintendo&#8217;s handheld-hybrid console for the first time, packed with enough new content to give even veteran Tarnished a reason to start fresh.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have confirmed Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will launch on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026. The edition bundles the base game, Shadow of the Erdtree, two new starting classes, four armor sets, and Torrent customization options.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5,"featured_media":5131,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[285],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5129","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-gaming-news"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5129","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/5"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5129"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5129\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5130,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5129\/revisions\/5130"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5131"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5129"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5129"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gamermarkt.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5129"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}