Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition Preorders Now Available for Switch 2

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is now available to preorder for Switch 2, with a confirmed release date of August 28, 2026. The upgraded release was announced during a Nintendo Direct last year and includes new armor sets and starting classes in addition to the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree expansion. The recent preorder listing confirms the Tarnished Edition will be priced at $79.99. However, it also confirms that the new edition only comes with a game-key card.

What’s Included in the Tarnished Edition

The Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition includes the following:

  • Full Base Game
  • Full Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion
  • 2 New Starting Classes: Heavy Knight and Knight of Ides
  • 4 New Armor Sets
  • 3 Customization Options for Torrent

These additions provide players with more choices and depth when customizing their characters and gameplay experience.

The Price Point and Its Implications

It’s worth noting that the $80 price tag for this Switch 2-exclusive edition might seem surprising for a game that was released four years ago. While the game was praised for its open-world exploration and combat, it’s also unlikely that it will run as smoothly on Switch 2 as it would on a PS5 Pro. This raises the question of whether console performance justifies different pricing structures.

The price is most likely based on the Elden Ring Shadow of the Erdtree Edition, which includes the base game and expansion and is currently priced at $80. The new content included in the Tarnished Edition will reportedly be coming to PC and other consoles at a later date. It makes sense for that to be a free update, given this pricing history. However, if it does end up being a paid DLC, it would be altogether more expensive than the Switch 2 version.

The Legacy of Elden Ring

IGN wasn’t shy about lauding Elden Ring in our 10/10 review, calling it a "new benchmark" for open-world exploration and gratifying combat challenges. We had similar praise for the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, which prompted enough acclaim to pick up yet another GOTY nomination as a DLC.

With the Tarnished Edition now available for preorder, fans of the game can look forward to the latest iteration of this critically acclaimed title, which continues to push the boundaries of what is possible in the action RPG genre.