Elden Ring Gets Promising Gameplay Update on Switch 2 in New Video
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Published Aug 18, 2026, 1:26 PM EDT
Looks like the Lands Between are going to be OK
Elden Ring's Switch 2 version looks better than ever in new official gameplay
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2023's Game of the Year Elden Ring is finally making its way to Nintendo Switch 2 later this month after a substantial delay. The Tarnished Edition of FromSoftware's open-world action-RPG was originally pegged for a 2025 release, but after multiple reports of Elden Ring running poorly on Switch 2, publisher Bandai Namco gave the port's developers more time to cook.
Fortunately, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition looks like it's shaping up to be great, based on new official gameplay and video of the game running in handheld mode on Switch 2.
A new gameplay showcase video released Tuesday offers both a minute-long primer on what Elden Ring is and some evidence of how the game performs on Nintendo's handheld. For Elden Ring veterans, there's not a lot new here; the video doesn't reveal much more about the Tarnished Edition's new prebuilt starting classes. But for Switch 2 owners just getting their first taste of Elden Ring, it's a simple, straightforward look at what FromSoft's game has to offer, including cooperative multiplayer and a tough-as-nails Soulslike on the go.
In addition to the official, direct-feed gameplay of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, there's also new video of off-screen gameplay, both in docked and handheld modes. Japanese outlet Denfaminico Gamer has nine minutes of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition running on Switch 2, showing what appears to be a very playable version of the game.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has been a long time coming. The Switch 2 port was originally announced in April 2025 at Nintendo's big showcase for its new console. The Elden Ring port was revealed alongside a handful of similar Switch 2 rereleases, including Cyberpunk 2077, Hogwarts Legacy, Street Fighter 6, and Hitman World of Assassination.
Originally, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition was slated to arrive in 2025, but after a rough showing at last summer's Gamescom event, developer FromSoftware and Bandai Namco delayed the game into 2026. More recent showings of the Elden Ring Switch 2 port were more promising, however. Now it appears that FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have managed to get the open-world fantasy role-playing game in working order on Nintendo's hybrid console-handheld.
Elden Ring is currently available on PlayStation 4, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X. The Switch 2 version is coming on Aug. 28, with the Tarnished Edition bonus content available on other platforms as paid DLC.