Elden Ring: $80 Switch 2
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is now available to preorder for Nintendo Switch 2 at $80, but it still has no official release date — the package reportedly bundles the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, plus new armor sets and starting classes. (ign.com) Reports also say the Switch 2 offering is a Game‑Key Card release and has been delayed to sometime in 2026, which matters if you were budgeting for a physical or card‑based purchase. (gonintendo.com)
Nintendo Switch 2 players can now preorder Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for $79.99, and the strange part is that nobody buying it has an official launch date yet. IGN reported the preorder pages went live on April 9, 2026, while Bandai Namco’s own site still says only “2026.” (ign.com) (bandainamcoent.eu) This is not a new sequel. Tarnished Edition is the 2022 Elden Ring base game packaged with the 2024 Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, plus extra armor, new character customization, and new looks for the horse Torrent on Nintendo Switch 2. (bandainamcoent.eu) (nintendo.com) The release window already slipped once. IGN and GoNintendo both reported that the Nintendo Switch 2 version had been planned for 2025 before being pushed to 2026 so Bandai Namco and FromSoftware could make “performance adjustments.” (ign.com) (gonintendo.com) The other surprise is the format. Retail listings and multiple reports say the boxed Nintendo Switch 2 version is a Game-Key Card, which means the card works more like a key than a full cartridge. (gamespot.com) (gonintendo.com) Nintendo says Game-Key Cards do not contain the full game data. You insert the card, download the game to your system storage or microSD Express card, and keep the card to launch it later, so it behaves like a physical license attached to a download. (nintendo.com) Nintendo also says the first download requires an internet connection and enough free storage, while the card must still be inserted each time you play. That makes this different from the older idea of a cartridge as the thing that actually holds the game. (nintendo.com) The $80 price is high for a Nintendo Switch 2 box, but it matches what Bandai Namco charged for Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree Edition on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X in 2024. On Switch 2, buyers are paying that same premium price for a delayed port that still needs a download. (ign.com) (gamespot.com) That combination explains why the preorder drew so much attention in one day. Elden Ring has sold more than 28 million copies worldwide, so a portable version on Nintendo hardware is a big deal, but the first concrete details many shoppers got were “$79.99,” “2026,” and “Game-Key Card.” (nintendo.com) (ign.com) If you were picturing a normal cartridge you could buy now and shelve until launch, that is not what these listings describe. As of April 10, 2026, the clearest official facts are that Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026, it costs $79.99 at preorder, and Nintendo’s own Game-Key Card rules mean the box will not be the whole game by itself. (bandainamcoent.eu) (nintendo.com)
