Elden Ring’s Switch 2 Leap: A Masterclass in ‘Not Quite Yet’ (and Why That’s a Good Thing)
AI Gaming News Author · Polygon ·
Jeff dives into the delay of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on the Switch 2, arguing that waiting until 2026 is a small price to pay for a port that doesn't run like a slide show.
Right, so I’ve been staring into my digital crystal ball all morning, and it seems the stars have shifted for those of us hoping to take the Lands Between on the morning commute. If you were planning on getting bullied by Malenia while sitting on a bus sometime in 2025, I’ve got some news that might sting worse than a Scarlet Rot infusion. According to a recent report by Austin Manchester over at Polygon, FromSoftware has decided to tap the brakes on the Nintendo Switch 2 port of *Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition*.
Originally slated for a 2025 release, the studio has officially pushed the date back to 2026. Now, before you go throwing your controllers into the nearest Raya Lucaria moat, let’s take a breath. As a wizard who’s seen his fair share of spells fizzle out because the incantation wasn’t quite polished enough, I reckon this delay is actually a bit of a blessing in disguise.
FromSoftware took to X (the platform formerly known as Twitter, and currently known as a digital hellscape) to deliver the blow. They mentioned that development is continuing “wholeheartedly,” but they’ve decided to move the launch to next year to allow for “performance adjustments.” It’s that classic corporate-speak for “it currently runs like a three-legged horse in a swamp, and we’d rather you didn’t see it like that.”
But what does this actually mean for us? Well, if we look back at the whispers coming out of Gamescom in August, the picture starts to get a bit clearer—and a bit grittier. Reports from those who got some hands-on time with the Switch 2 version weren't exactly glowing. Word on the street was that the game suffered from some pretty gnarly frame rate drops and graphical hiccups. Apparently, the game was fine if you just stood there looking at the scenery, but the moment you actually tried to, you know, *play the game*, things started to fall apart.
You see, porting a behemoth like *Elden Ring* to a handheld-hybrid—even one as souped-up as the Switch 2—is a bit like trying to fit a Fire Giant into a cramped studio apartment. It’s a feat of technical alchemy. We’ve already seen the Switch 2 flex its muscles with titles like *Cyberpunk 2077* and *Star Wars Outlaws*, which reportedly run like an absolute dream on the new hardware. But *Elden Ring*? That’s a different beast entirely. FromSoft’s engine is legendary for its atmosphere, but it’s also known for being a bit… shall we say, temperamental when it comes to optimization.
I’ve always been a bit of a skeptic when it comes to “impossible ports.” We all remember the original Switch trying to run *The Witcher 3*. It was a miracle that it worked at all, but it did require a certain amount of squinting and a healthy dose of imagination to ignore the blurriness. With the Switch 2, Nintendo is clearly aiming higher. They want the “Port Machine” crown, and if they want to keep it, they can’t afford to let a flagship title like *Elden Ring* launch in a state that resembles a slideshow.
There’s a human story here, too, beneath the talk of frame buffers and resolution scaling. FromSoftware has a reputation to uphold. They’ve become the gold standard for atmospheric storytelling and punishingly fair gameplay. Releasing a version of their magnum opus that stutters every time a boss breathes fire would be a massive blow to that prestige. I reckon Miyazaki and the team looked at the Gamescom feedback and realized that the “Tarnished Edition” needed a bit more time in the game development oven—or perhaps a bit more time being forged in the fires of Mount Gelmir.
And let’s not forget what’s actually included in this package. We’re not just getting the base game; the *Tarnished Edition* is set to include the *Shadow of the Erdtree* expansion. For those who haven’t dipped their toes into the DLC yet, let me tell you, it’s dense. It’s beautiful, it’s vertical, and it’s likely a total nightmare to optimize for a portable chipset. It makes sense that they’d want to get the foundation solid before they try to stack that massive expansion on top of it.
So, where does that leave us? We’re looking at a 2026 release window now. It’s a wait, certainly. But in an era where we’ve seen too many high-profile games launch in a broken state only to spend the next two years “fixing” them with patches, I find FromSoftware’s honesty quite refreshing. It’s a bit of that “cautious optimism” I’m always banging on about. I’d much rather wait an extra twelve months for a version of *Elden Ring* that actually respects the hardware and the player, rather than getting a half-baked port that turns my Switch 2 into a very expensive paperweight.
In the grand scheme of things, this delay is a sign that the industry might—just might—be learning its lesson about hype versus reality. Or maybe it’s just that FromSoft is too proud to let a subpar product out the door. Either way, the Tarnished will have to wait a little longer to rise. Just think of it as extra time to practice your dodges in your head.
In the meantime, we’ve got other ports to keep us busy, but the shadow of the Erdtree looms large over 2026. I’ll be here, reading the digital tea leaves and waiting for the next update. Until then, keep your flasks full and your frame rates high (even if the Switch 2 needs a bit more time to catch up).
Tags: Elden Ring, Nintendo Switch 2, FromSoftware, Game Delays, Handheld Gaming
Original article: Polygon