Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition (Switch 2 Game Key-Card)
$80 | Releases August 28, 2026
Good news: it’s finally confirmed that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is launching for Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28. Bad news: Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition will be yet another Switch 2 Game Key-Card release, and it costs a whopping $80. Now, considering you’re getting the original $60 base game, its $40 Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and even some unique in-game items, plus some new exclusive weapons and armor skins, that price makes a little more sense. But the fact that it’s a Game Key-Card–meaning it has none of the game data on the cart, and instead simply unlocks access to download the digital version–makes $80 a tougher sell for fans who prefer true physical media. Nevertheless, those who want to add the game to their shelves can reserve a physical copy for $80 at multiple online retailers, and doing so gets you a few preorder bonuses unique to this version.
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Preorder Bonuses
Preordering through any of the retailers listed above will get you two bonus gestures to use in-game. Gestures are used to communicate with other players and can either be found in-game or have been included as preorder bonuses in the past, such as The Ring gesture included with the original game or the Ring of Miquella gesture, which was included with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition (Switch 2 Game Key-Card)
$80 | Releases August 28, 2026
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition comes with the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, and a few unique in-game armor sets and skins for your mount, Torrent (this extra content will also be available as a standalone download for the PS5, Xbox, and PC versions of the game).
Note that this is a Switch 2 Game Key-Card release. If you aren’t familiar with Nintendo Switch 2 Key-Card releases, it’s worth noting that the physical cartridge inside the box does not contain the game’s data. Instead, it downloads the full game from Nintendo eShop to your device after being inserted. This game takes up 75GB of space, so you may want to expand your storage capacity with a microSD Express like this Samsung 256GB model.
Game Key-Card edition preorders are available now for $80 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, Target, and GameStop. Digital preorders are also available via the Nintendo eShop.
Elden Ring is, according to many, From Software’s magnum opus, earning an Essential 10 out of 10 from GameSpot’s own Tamoor Hussain. The game takes the iconic Soulslike combat and detailed level design and brings it to a sprawling, massive open world dubbed the Lands Between. You play as the Tarnished, a maidenless adventurer on a dire quest to repair the titular Elden Ring.
While the base game was a masterpiece that could easily span hundreds of hours on a single playthrough, its epic DLC expansion, Shadow of the Erdtree–which is larger in scope than most AAA games–was equally well-received when it launched in 2024, earning yet another 10 in our review–meaning you’re getting two of the best-reviewed open-world action RPG adventures in one.
Of course, it’s worth noting that the Switch 2 is a weaker device than the PS5, Xbox Series X, or high-end gaming PCs, and early hands-on previews highlighted some potential performance bottlenecks. Luckily, GameSpot recently went hands-on with a newer build of Elden Ring on the Switch 2 at this year’s Game Developers’ Conference and saw several new visual and performance improvements, which hopefully indicates this new version will offer Switch 2 fans a smooth experience when it eventually releases.
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