Attendees at Gamescom 2025 have expressed considerable disappointment with the Nintendo Switch 2 adaptation of Elden Ring, reporting serious performance problems that cause the acclaimed game's frame rate to plummet to as low as 15 FPS during intensive gameplay segments. While the game is scheduled for a 2025 release, no specific launch date has been confirmed for Elden Ring on Nintendo's new console, leaving room for potential improvements before its official debut. However, based on current demonstrations, the title appears nearly unplayable in handheld mode according to multiple firsthand accounts.

The Nintendo Switch 2 version of Elden Ring, officially titled the Tarnished Edition, was first revealed during April's Nintendo Direct presentation for the Switch 2. Although this special edition remains exclusive to Nintendo's platform, all additional content including new armor sets, weapons, and customization options will also be available on other systems. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition bundles the base game with the highly praised Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, which originally launched in 2024 to widespread critical acclaim and community appreciation.

Following major announcements during Gamescom's Opening Night Live, the annual gaming convention has been in full swing in Cologne, Germany. The event provides opportunities for fans, journalists, and content creators to experience upcoming titles firsthand, including several unannounced Nintendo Switch 2 games such as Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition. Unfortunately, NintendoLife correspondent Felix Sanchez reported that the game's performance on the new hardware is particularly concerning. "The performance is genuinely poor, and I comprehend why they're restricting footage, because honestly, it's quite disappointing," the journalist stated in a recent video presentation (as reported by Kotaku).

Sanchez further elaborated that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition appears to drop to approximately 15 FPS during certain gameplay sequences. "Naturally, this footage won't be publicly available—perhaps the game will launch in this condition, though I find that difficult to believe—It felt reminiscent of playing Ocarina of Time. The frame rate hovered around 20 frames per second, with noticeable dips where I observed, 'This has definitely fallen to 15 frames per second.'" The current state of the Nintendo Switch 2 version appears sufficiently problematic that Bandai Namco has prohibited Gamescom participants from recording gameplay footage.

Despite the apparent technical challenges in the current build, there remains substantial possibility for improvement before the game's official release. While no specific launch date has been announced, a recent ESRB rating provided fans with an optimistic development regarding Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition. Bandai Namco has indicated their target for shipping the Nintendo Switch 2 version remains 2025, and the recent M rating from the ESRB suggests the release is approaching—unsurprising given we're currently in the second half of 2025.

FromSoftware currently stands as one of the most respected development studios in the gaming industry, making a potential launch of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition in its current state particularly surprising to many fans. However, with the studio simultaneously developing The Duskbloods, an exclusive Nintendo Switch 2 title scheduled for 2026, alongside the recent release of Elden Ring Nightreign, there are concerns that FromSoftware might be overextending its development resources across multiple projects.