Elden Ring Reportedly Suffers Major Performance Problems on Nintendo Switch 2
Published on 07:20 AM, Friday, August 22, 2025 by miladmim
Reports coming out of Gamescom 2025 suggest that the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Elden Ring is struggling to deliver a smooth experience. According to early impressions, the build shown on the convention floor was plagued with serious performance issues, with frame rates allegedly dipping as low as 15 FPS in certain areas.
For a game as visually ambitious and mechanically demanding as Elden Ring, performance is always a point of concern—especially on hardware that prioritizes portability. While Bandai Namco has yet to issue an official statement, attendees describe the current state of the game as “practically unplayable in handheld mode.”
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Switch 2
The troubled port is known as Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, first revealed during the April 2025 Nintendo Direct. This special edition is designed exclusively for the Switch 2 and includes a variety of unique additions such as new armor sets, weapons, and customization options, alongside the full Shadow of the Erdtree expansion released in 2024.
Despite being tailored for Nintendo’s upcoming console, the new content will also roll out on PC, PlayStation, and Xbox. The Switch 2 version, however, is the only one to bundle everything into a single package under the “Tarnished Edition” branding.
Gamescom Hands-On: A Rough First Impression
As one of the most anticipated releases showcased at Gamescom in Cologne, Germany, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition naturally drew huge crowds. But not all impressions were positive.
Felix Sanchez of NintendoLife claimed that the performance was alarmingly poor, saying:
“It’s really bad… at times it felt like the game dropped down to 15 frames per second. Honestly, it was like going back to Ocarina of Time—but worse.”
Reports also suggest that Bandai Namco restricted video capture of the demo, likely to prevent footage of the unstable performance from spreading online.
Room for Optimism Before Launch
It’s important to note that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has no confirmed release date beyond its 2025 launch window. Early technical shortcomings may simply reflect the fact that the port is still a work in progress.
A recent ESRB M-rating indicates that development is moving closer to completion, but whether FromSoftware and Bandai Namco can iron out the glaring frame rate issues in time remains to be seen.
FromSoftware’s Packed Schedule
Adding to the speculation is the fact that FromSoftware currently has an extremely busy pipeline. In addition to polishing Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition, the studio recently launched Elden Ring: Nightreign and is actively developing The Duskbloods, a Switch 2 exclusive scheduled for 2026.
Some industry observers worry that the workload could be stretching the studio thin. However, given FromSoftware’s reputation for high-quality releases, most fans remain hopeful that the final Switch 2 version of Elden Ring will not launch in such a rough state.
The Bottom Line
While early reports from Gamescom paint a concerning picture of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2, it’s far too soon to call the port a failure. Performance could still improve significantly before release. What is certain, however, is that expectations are sky-high: one of the most celebrated RPGs of the decade deserves nothing less than a polished debut on Nintendo’s next-generation hardware.
