Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition Preview Reveals Performance Issues on Nintendo Switch 2

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has taken center stage at Nintendo’s booth during Gamescom 2024, offering attendees an exclusive first look at the acclaimed action RPG running on the highly anticipated Nintendo Switch 2.

Developed by FromSoftware and published by Bandai Namco, Elden Ring has been celebrated worldwide for its expansive open world and challenging gameplay, achieving over 20 million copies sold across platforms since its initial 2022 release.

Now, the Nintendo Switch 2 version promises to bring this award-winning adventure to a portable audience for the first time, with a launch set for 2025. Despite sky-high anticipation, firsthand reports from Gamescom attendees, including a hands-on preview by IGN, reveal that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2 still faces significant performance hurdles.

According to IGN’s assessment, when playing in handheld mode—the only option available at the show floor—the game struggled to maintain a stable frame rate, particularly in visually intensive zones like Limgrave.

Frame drops became pronounced whenever the camera was rotated outside the opening tutorial, impacting both exploration and combat. Additionally, the control scheme on the Nintendo Switch 2 was found to be unintuitive compared to other platforms, making the intricate combat system more challenging to navigate.

"After testing Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition handheld on Switch 2, we were left underwhelmed due to persistent frame rate inconsistencies and a confusing button layout," IGN staff reported.

These combined issues led to a less enjoyable gameplay experience during the demo. Notably, recording footage of the game at Gamescom was explicitly prohibited, further suggesting that the build is not yet ready for public or critical scrutiny.

While these concerns may be expected at a pre-release stage, the feedback underscores the importance of further optimization before launch.

Historically, FromSoftware’s titles have demanded robust hardware performance, with previous versions of Elden Ring encountering technical limitations even on high-end consoles like the Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. With Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition targeting a 2025 release on Nintendo Switch 2, there remains significant development time for Bandai Namco and FromSoftware to address these performance and usability issues.

For longtime fans and newcomers eager to explore the Lands Between on Nintendo’s next-generation hardware, continued updates leading up to release—including potential performance improvements and more polished control options—will be critical.

Stay tuned for further coverage on Elden Ring’s migration to Nintendo Switch 2, and bookmark this space for the latest news from Gamescom, Nintendo Direct showcases, and major eShop releases.

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