Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition Debuts at No. 1 on the Switch 2 eShop

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition launched on Nintendo Switch 2 on August 28, 2026, and made an immediate impact on the eShop. It ranked No. 1 on the chart dated August 30 after also reaching the top spot during the previous week’s pre-load period. That is a strong early signal for the port—but eShop rankings do not reveal how many copies were sold.

Launch performance: No. 1 after leading pre-loads

The August 30 Switch 2 eShop chart placed Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition at No. 1, ahead of Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition, Mario Kart World, Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2, and Pokémon Pokopia in the published top five. 22

That result followed an even more notable pre-launch showing. On the chart dated August 23, Elden Ring was already No. 1 despite not yet being playable, with pre-loads alone putting it ahead of Mario Kart World at No. 3. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2 was No. 6 on that earlier chart. 29

The comparison with Metal Gear Solid requires a small qualification: another report on the August 30 chart lists Metal Gear Solid at No. 2 and says the rankings are revenue-based, while the published list used above places it at No. 4. 24 The available reports therefore support a clear conclusion—Elden Ring was one of the week’s leading digital releases—but not a precise sales gap or unit total.

When did Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition launch?

The Switch 2 version launched on August 28, 2026, at a listed U.S. price of $79.99. 223 The release was previously delayed for performance adjustments after concerns about an earlier version of the port. 89

What the $79.99 edition includes

Tarnished Edition is more than a basic port. The package includes:

• The original Elden Ring base game
• The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion
• Two new starting classes: Heavy Knight and Idus Knight
• Four new armor sets
• Three customization skins for Torrent, the spectral steed

Bandai Namco also confirms that the new classes, armor, and Torrent customization can be used with the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree. 1150

The new content is not permanently locked to Switch 2. Players who already own Elden Ring on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, or digital PC can obtain it separately as the Tarnished Pack. 50 The official European Bandai Namco store lists the pack at €4.99, although regional prices may differ. 5257

How the new content changes the starting experience

The two new classes give newcomers different ways to begin. Heavy Knight is built around a heavier, more defensive approach, while Idus Knight offers a lighter alternative focused on agility and dexterity. Each class also comes with associated equipment, making the additions most relevant to players starting a new character rather than those already deep into a playthrough. 3841

The four armor sets and Torrent skins add equipment and cosmetic variety, but early reviews disagree on how substantial the additions feel. Some coverage treats them as welcome extras, while other reviews describe them as relatively modest additions to an already complete game. 4148

Early reviews: a much better result than the troubled early build

The finished Switch 2 port received broadly favorable early coverage, especially compared with the unstable build shown at Gamescom 2025. That earlier version was reported to run at roughly 15 frames per second, while later reviews described the final release as targeting 30 fps and performing well in both handheld and docked modes. 143

The technical picture is not completely uniform. GamingBolt reported a stable 30-fps experience with minor compromises, while RPGamer noted that performance issues remained in some situations. 4738 The safest summary is that the final port appears to be a substantial improvement over the earlier preview build, but claims of flawless performance go beyond the evidence supplied here.

Nintendo also released a beginner guide

Elden Ring’s difficulty can make it intimidating for first-time players, so Nintendo released an official beginner guide alongside the Switch 2 launch. The guide introduces newcomers to the basics of exploring the Lands Between and getting started with the game’s systems. 33

That launch support matters because Tarnished Edition is not only a hardware showcase. It is also the first opportunity for many Nintendo players to try FromSoftware’s open-world action RPG, its base campaign, and Shadow of the Erdtree in one package.

The August 30 Switch 2 eShop top five

The published top five for the August 30 chart were:

1. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
2. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate Edition
3. Mario Kart World
4. Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2
5. Pokémon Pokopia 22

Taken together with the No. 1 pre-load position from the prior week, Elden Ring’s chart performance shows that the Switch 2 port converted substantial early interest into a leading launch-week position. The available data cannot establish exact sales, but it clearly places Tarnished Edition at the center of the platform’s August 2026 release conversation.