Switch 2 players are finally waiting for FromSoftware’s masterpiece to be released. Nintendo’s new console will usher in “Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition” this year. The news is really shocking. After all, this game is regarded by many as one of the strongest works in the past decade. It will finally be able to lie down and suffer in handheld mode! But don’t rush to pre-order just yet, because there are two huge asterisks hanging behind this version.
Priced at $80, it’s not cheap but it’s not an outrageous price either.
According to the Amazon pre-order page, “Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition” is priced at US$79.99. The first reaction of many players is: “Switch 2 games are starting to expand again?”
But this time there is actually a reason. This version includes the main body plus the large-scale DLC “Shadow of the Erdtree” (Shadow of the Golden Tree), so the price is basically the same as the complete package on other platforms.
The real point of contention: The physical card is not the complete game
The biggest drawback this time is actually that “Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition” is suspected of using Game-Key Card. What you buy is a card, but it does not contain complete game data. Once plugged into the console, it acts like a physical key, allowing you to download the entire game and then start playing with that card.
This approach is very damaging to pure collector players. Many people buy the physical version just because they want to be able to plug in a card and play it many years later without being affected by server, account, and download restrictions. Now if you give a “semi-solid” card, it won’t taste right.
Why is this happening? Capacity may be too large
Objectively speaking, the content of “Elden Ring” plus “Shadow of the Erdtree” is not small. If the Switch 2 standard cartridge has limited capacity, it would actually be understandable for the manufacturer to use Key Card instead.
You sell me a physical price, but give me a digital process. This is like going to a cafe to order milk tea, and finally giving you a three-in-one powder packet. You can drink it but there will be a sound in your heart.
Switch 2 third-party masterpieces are testing the water temperature in an all-round way
It is worth noting that the leaked list shows that many third-party works also use a similar Key Card mode, including “Assassin’s Creed Shadows”, “Final Fantasy VII Rebirth”, “Resident Evil Requiem”, “Persona 3 Reload”, etc.
What does this mean? The third-party market on behalf of Switch 2 is testing the bottom line of players. If everyone buys it, more games will follow this path in the future. If the market rebounds strongly, manufacturers will reconsider the cost of complete cassettes.
The release date has not yet been determined, December 31st is just a random date
The current Amazon page shows a release date of December 31, 2026, but this is usually just a temporary store reservation date and does not represent an official launch date. In other words, “Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition” will be released this year, but when it will suffer has not been announced.
If you just want to play Elden Ring on a handheld console, this version is very attractive. It’s really nice to be able to refresh the map, fight bosses, and get abused on the road at any time. But if you are a collector, a card believer, or a physical controller, then this Key Card may silence you for three seconds.