Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition hits Switch 2 on 28 August 2026
The acclaimed action RPG arrives on Nintendo's platform for the first time, bundled with its major expansion and two brand-new character classes.
What you need to know
- Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition launches on Nintendo Switch 2 on 28 August 2026, priced at £69.99 RRP — though Smyths Toys is currently listing it at £59.99.
- The package includes the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, two new starting classes (Heavy Knight and Idus Knight), new armour sets, and Torrent customisation skins.
- The physical edition is a Game-Key Card with no data pre-loaded — you'll need to download all 41 GB over the internet.
Elden Ring is coming to Nintendo Switch 2. Bandai Namco Europe has confirmed that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition will launch on 28 August 2026 — just a fortnight away — marking the first time FromSoftware's acclaimed open-world action RPG has appeared on any Nintendo platform. Pre-orders are live now at major UK retailers.
What's in the box
Tarnished Edition is a comprehensive package. According to Bandai Namco Europe's official announcement, it includes:
- The base game, Elden Ring
- The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion
- Two new starting classes: the Heavy Knight and the Idus Knight
- New character armour sets
- The ability to customise Torrent, the player's Spectral Steed
The Heavy Knight is described as a durable, strength-focused build clad in bulky plate armour, while the Idus Knight takes a lighter approach, leaning on dexterity. Both classes are part of the Tarnished Pack DLC, which also includes three customisation skins for Torrent and four new armour sets.
Bandai Namco confirmed that the same Tarnished Pack DLC will launch simultaneously on PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC via Steam on 28 August — so existing players on those platforms can access the new content without buying the Switch 2 edition. FromSoftware confirmed on social media that the Tarnished Pack will be priced at $4.99 in the US. UK pricing for the DLC on other platforms has not been confirmed at the time of writing.
How much will it cost UK buyers?
The standard RRP is £69.99, with Amazon UK currently charging that full price. However, Smyths Toys is listing the game at £59.99, making it the cheapest major UK retailer at the time of writing — a saving worth checking before you commit elsewhere.
That price point will raise eyebrows given that Elden Ring originally launched in 2022. The counter-argument is that Shadow of the Erdtree — included here — is a major expansion widely regarded as a substantial content addition in its own right, covering the Land of Shadow, new bosses, new weapons, and a narrative strand centred on Miquella. Buying both separately on other platforms would cost considerably more.
The Game-Key Card catch
Buyers opting for a physical copy should be aware of a significant caveat: the Switch 2 edition ships as a Game-Key Card, meaning neither the base game nor the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is pre-loaded onto the cartridge. You will need a working internet connection to download everything. The official Nintendo listing puts the digital file size at approximately 41 GB — notably smaller than the roughly 80 GB the PC version occupies, suggesting meaningful optimisation work has taken place. For anyone with slow or capped broadband, or who prefers genuine physical ownership, this is worth factoring into your decision.
The road to launch: from 15 FPS to a smoother ride
The journey to 28 August has been far from smooth. Tarnished Edition was first announced during a Nintendo Direct presentation on 2 April 2025, with a 2025 release target. By the time Gamescom 2025 arrived, however, the game was in trouble. Attendees reported severe performance issues, with frame rates reportedly dipping as low as 15 FPS in some sections. Bandai Namco reportedly forbade attendees from recording footage. Digital Foundry's analysis of that build identified the problem as processor-bound rather than graphics-bound.
On 23 October 2025, the official Elden Ring account announced a delay to 2026, stating:
"While development on #ELDENRING Tarnished Edition continues wholeheartedly toward release, we have decided to move the launch to 2026 to allow time for performance adjustments. We apologise to players looking forward to the game and thank you for your patience and support."
Signs of recovery emerged in March 2026, when new previews showed a clear improvement in frame rate. A more recent hands-on demo appeared to confirm that the delay was paying dividends, with one previewer reporting smoother performance in handheld mode without a visible sacrifice in visual quality. The release date was formally confirmed on 4 June 2026, accompanied by the caption: "Your journey to the Erdtree begins here. Rise, Tarnished."
The bigger picture
Elden Ring has sold more than 28.6 million units worldwide, according to figures FromSoftware released in February 2025 — with some UK retailers now citing figures above 30 million, suggesting sales have continued to climb. A Switch 2 release opens the game to an entirely new audience that has never had access to it on a Nintendo device.
It is also worth noting that Kadokawa — FromSoftware's parent company — confirmed in an earnings report that Tarnished Edition and Switch 2 exclusive The Duskbloods both remained on track for 2026, suggesting the platform has a strong autumn lineup ahead.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is due on Nintendo Switch 2 on 28 August 2026. Pre-orders are available now at Smyths Toys (£59.99) and Amazon UK (£69.99), among others.
Why it matters
This is the only route onto Switch 2 for one of the most celebrated games of the decade, and there is no cheaper entry point — you cannot buy the base game and expansion separately on Nintendo's platform. The £69.99 RRP is steep for a four-year-old title, but it does include Shadow of the Erdtree, which is widely regarded as a substantial, near-standalone expansion. The Game-Key Card format is a meaningful caveat for anyone with slow broadband or a preference for genuine physical ownership. Buyers tempted to wait should also note that a Nintendo Switch 2 price hike is scheduled for September 2026, so anyone yet to pick up the console has a narrow window before costs rise further.