Don’t Get Your Hopes Up Too Much For The Next Elden Ring Release
Topics: Elden Ring, Nintendo Switch 2, Fromsoftware, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Bandai Namco
Featured Image Credit: Bandai Namco
Topics: Elden Ring, Nintendo Switch 2, Fromsoftware, Nintendo, Nintendo Switch, Bandai Namco
Elden Ring fans may want to keep reserved expectations regarding the next upcoming release by FromSoftware.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition was initially revealed last year as one of 2025’s big third-party releases on the Nintendo Switch 2. However, following some mixed reactions to an early preview build, the game was delayed to this year.
Many people who’d gotten hands-on with the game last year noted poor performance when exploring Elden Ring’s open world, with some branding the port “a disaster”.
Not quite the reaction you’d want, when Elden Ring has become one of the bestselling games of the generation and the Switch 2 has sold around 18 million units since June 2025.
A more recent hands-on at Game Developers Conference (GDC) 2026 has shown improvements regarding the framerate, though it sounds like it’s still best to keep your expectations in check.
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As GameSpot reports, “The demo can also be experienced in docked mode, and overall, it looks like the game has been well-optimized. Even with several graphical concessions, Limgrave still looks great, and it looks like the frame rate hovers around the 30-40 FPS range.”
Meanwhile, Polygon notes that “while the Switch 2 version most certainly won’t be hitting 60 FPS, it doesn’t seem too far behind handhelds like the Steam Deck anymore. At a glance, I’d wager that it was running in the 30 to 40 FPS range, depending on how demanding the scene was.”
While many would hope that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition would hit 60 FPS (this is the best way to experience FromSoftware games after all) it looks like fans are going to have to compromise in the 30–40 range.
“Still 30-40 fps,” reads one comment on Reddit. “I’ll be super disappointed if Duskbloods ends up running anything lower than 60. A performance mode and quality mode would be a good compromise.”
Nonetheless, it’s a good compromise for a game that wasn’t built for the Nintendo Switch 2, and is clearly doing its best to run on weaker hardware than the platforms it was made for.
The Duskbloods, on the other hand, is being built exclusively for the Switch 2 from the ground up, so it’s likely FromSoftware will be able to hit a better framerate for the most optimal experience.
There's no word yet on when Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition releases on Switch 2, but I imagine we'll hear more later in the year.