At Gamescom 2025 in Cologne, one of the biggest surprises hasn’t been a reveal, but rather a concern: the performance of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on the upcoming Nintendo Switch 2. What was expected to be a showcase of FromSoftware’s technical mastery has instead sparked criticism, with multiple reports highlighting severe frame rate issues that have left many attendees disappointed.
Hands-on impressions suggest that the build shown at Gamescom runs acceptably in docked mode but suffers heavily when switched to handheld play.
According to Nintendo Life journalist Felix Sanchez, the experience dips to a jarring 15 frames per second in certain open-world sections, making the game feel sluggish and nearly unplayable in its portable form. Sanchez stated:
“It was like playing Ocarina of Time—sometimes at 20 FPS, and occasionally even lower.”
The reaction has been strong enough that Bandai Namco reportedly prohibited attendees from recording gameplay footage on the show floor. This has fueled speculation that the publisher wants to avoid the optics of players seeing the game’s technical shortcomings online.
Despite the negative buzz, there are reasons to believe this state isn’t final. The Tarnished Edition isn’t due to launch until 2025, and its recent M rating from the ESRB indicates that development is progressing toward release.
Optimizations and patches could significantly improve handheld performance before the game ships. Bandai Namco has not issued a formal response to the criticisms, but fans are hopeful that refinements will be made before launch day.
The Switch 2 version, announced earlier this year during a Nintendo Direct, is being marketed as a special edition exclusive to Nintendo’s next-gen handheld-hybrid. While the Tarnished Edition will include unique armor sets, weapons, and customization options, all additional content will also be made available across other platforms.
Crucially, it comes bundled with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, which released in mid-2024 to critical acclaim and further cemented Elden Ring’s reputation as one of the most important games of the modern era.
There’s also the broader question of workload at FromSoftware. Alongside the Switch 2 port, the studio is actively working on The Duskbloods, an ambitious exclusive slated for 2026, and has already launched the multiplayer-focused spinoff Elden Ring: Nightreign in 2025.
Some observers speculate that the studio may be spreading itself thin, raising concerns about whether it can dedicate enough resources to fully polish the Switch 2 version of Elden Ring.
Even so, FromSoftware’s track record inspires cautious optimism. The studio is renowned for refining its games post-launch, and it’s unlikely to risk tarnishing its reputation with a poorly performing release. Fans will be watching closely in the months ahead to see whether the Switch 2 can truly handle the sprawling Lands Between without crumbling under technical pressure.
For now, Gamescom has shown that the dream of playing Elden Ring on the go is possible—but unless performance dramatically improves, it may be remembered more as a cautionary tale than a triumph.
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