Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Hits Switch 2 on 28 August for £69.99

Elden Ring reaches Nintendo hardware on 28 August

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition will launch for Nintendo Switch 2 on 28 August 2026, Bandai Namco has confirmed. The package brings FromSoftware’s acclaimed action RPG to a Nintendo platform for the first time, bundling the original game with its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and a collection of additional content.

UK pricing is lower than the £80 figure that has circulated around the Switch 2 release. Amazon UK lists a recommended retail price of £69.99, while Smyths Toys UK currently has pre-orders at £59.99. The £80 comparison stems from the $79.99 price listed for the US Game-Key Card edition, rather than a confirmed British RRP.

Bandai Namco confirmed the date through the official Elden Ring social channels on 4 June, with physical pre-orders opening the following day. The publisher is handling the release, while FromSoftware remains the game’s developer.

What Tarnished Edition includes

Switch 2 buyers receive the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree, alongside new weapons, armour, Torrent customisation options and other additions. The new material includes two starting classes: the dexterity-focused Idus Knight and the more heavily equipped Heavy Knight, which starts with a large scimitar and substantial armour.

There are also three skins for Torrent, the player’s spectral steed, and four new armour sets. Two of those sets are connected to the new classes, while the remaining pair can be found during the adventure. Bandai Namco has additionally confirmed new weapons and skills, though it has not detailed every item in the package.

The extra content is not permanently exclusive to Nintendo’s machine. It will arrive as the Tarnished Pack DLC on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One and digital PC on the same day as the Switch 2 release. Bandai Namco lists the standard price at €4.99, and US digital storefronts list it at $4.99; a confirmed UK sterling price has not been established.

A boxed game that still needs a full download

There is an important catch for anyone planning to buy the physical release. Elden Ring Tarnished Edition is being sold on a Nintendo Switch 2 Game-Key Card, rather than a cartridge containing the full game data. The card acts as a physical key for a download, and the product listing states that a 50GB full-game download is required through an internet connection.

That means neither the base game nor Shadow of the Erdtree is pre-loaded for play directly from the card. It is likely to be a sticking point for buyers who prefer physical games for offline installation, collecting or easier long-term access. It also puts storage space and broadband availability at the centre of the purchase decision.

The format has already proved unpopular with some Switch 2 players, although the size of Elden Ring and its expansion helps explain why Bandai Namco may have chosen it. Still, the decision makes this a less straightforward physical release than the box on a shop shelf might suggest.

Performance remains the major unanswered question

The road to release has been longer than initially planned. FromSoftware announced the Switch 2 edition on 2 April 2025 with a 2025 release target, before delaying it on 23 October 2025 to allow further performance adjustments.

A playable Gamescom build in August 2025 drew a severe response from hands-on press. Nintendo Life’s Felix Sanchez described parts of that demo as running at “15 frames per second”, a particularly serious issue for a game whose fights demand timing and quick reactions. Bandai Namco did not permit footage recording from that session.

Previews published in March 2026 suggested that the frame rate had improved, but buyers will still be watching closely to see how the final Switch 2 version compares with PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series versions. Bandai Namco’s confirmed launch details do not set out final performance specifications.

Why the Switch 2 version matters

Elden Ring originally launched in February 2022, went on to collect more than 400 Game of the Year nominations and has sold 30 million copies worldwide. Its arrival on Switch 2 is therefore a notable moment for Nintendo’s hardware, giving its audience access to one of the decade’s defining RPGs.

For UK shoppers, however, the sensible comparison is not simply the headline price. Smyths’ £59.99 pre-order price is the lowest verified option in the brief, while Amazon’s £69.99 figure is the stated RRP. Buyers should also weigh the mandatory 50GB download and wait for final performance assessments before deciding whether the portability of Switch 2 outweighs the likely technical compromises.