Summary
Elden Ringhas just hit another major milestone, as the 2022 Game of the Year continues to grow in the years after its release. This is thanks in part to a number of major updates over the years, including a free Colosseum update in 2023 andShadow of the Erdtreein 2024, a major DLC that received its own nomination for Game of the Year. WithNightreignalso slated to release later in May, it’s clear thatElden Ringshows no sign of slowing down this growth.
FromSoftware, the developer ofElden Ring, has found some of this success with Nintendo. It has releasedDark Souls Remasteredfor the Switch, and has partnered with Nintendo to develop an exclusiveBloodborne-style action RPG for the Switch 2. Sales numbers show thatDark Souls Remasteredsold over 1.1 million copies on the Switch alone, versus nearly 3.4 million copies across all platforms. The Switch version ofDark Souls Remastereddid launch to some controversy by only supporting 30fps instead of the standard 60fps, but it didn’t stop it from pulling in nearly 30% of the Remaster’s sales. That spells good news forElden Ringwhen it makes its way to the Switch 2.
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition for Switch 2 Geared to Boost FromSoftware Sales
Elden Ringrecently hit 30 million copies sold worldwide. TheDark Soulstrilogy, by comparison, has sold a combined 37 million copies, andElden Ring’s sales are now equivalent to those of 2019’sCall of Duty: Modern WarfareRemaster. It has exceeded every critical and commercial expectation, swept game awards across the globe, now has its own spin-off, and soon,Elden Ring: Tarnished Editionwill be coming to the Switch 2.
Going off of the sales numbers forDark Souls Remasteredon the Switch versus the Remaster’s total sales, it’s possible forElden Ring: Tarnished Editionto pull in an extra 5-10 million in sales for FromSoftware. PlayingElden Ringon Switch 2 may come with a catch, but that could also keep the price from getting too high.Elden Ring: Tarnished Editionwill also not be a part of the starting lineup for Switch 2, which has the potential to either soften or heighten anticipation, but will afford FromSoftware the time to fine-tune the game to the Switch 2’s specifications.
The biggest hurdle FromSoftware might face is not the conversion to the Switch 2 — it has its experience withDark Souls Remasteredto look back on — but the price tag.The Switch 2 is priced at $449, and Switch 2 games will be priced between $70-80, with physical copies climbing as high as $90. That’s a big step up from the Switch’s launch price of $299 with $60 games. Fans have questioned whether the technological advancement between the Switch and the Switch 2 will justify this increase in price, and it has begged larger questions about Nintendo’s image as the gaming industry’s consumer-friendly brand.
Switch 2 Controversies Are Not Slowing Down Sales
Regardless of these obstacles, Nintendo’s long-anticipated system is set to become one of the gaming giant’s best-selling consoles.Switch 2 pre-orders have hit historic levelsin France, according to Fnac multimedia and gaming director Charlotte Massicault. After the first wave of preorders opened in the United States on April 24th, the Switch 2 sold out across virtually all major retailers, including Walmart, Target, and GameStop. The more expensive $499 Mario Kart World Bundle was seven times more popular than the standalone console. This may be because it guaranteed gamers at least one game at a discount, or it may be because Nintendo deliberately shipped more bundles than standalones.
Whatever the case may be, Switch 2’s presale numbers measure well againstElden Ring’s recent 30-million-unit sales milestone. No definitive release date has been set, but it’s known thatElden Ring: Tarnished Editionwill release sometime in 2025 for the Switch 2. It will include the base game along withShadow of the Erdtree, as well as new weapons, armor skins for Torrent, and othernew additions toElden Ring.
Elden Ring
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ELDEN RING, developed by FromSoftware, Inc. and BANDAI NAMCO Entertainment Inc., is a fantasy action-RPG adventure set within a world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki and George R.R. Martin. Danger and discovery lurk around every corner in FromSoftware’s largest game to date. Hidetaka Miyazaki - President and Game Director of FromSoftware Inc. Known for directing critically-acclaimed games in beloved franchises including Armored Core and Dark Souls.George R.R. Martin is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of many novels, including the acclaimed series A Song of Ice and Fire - A Game of Thrones, A Clash of Kings, A Storm of Swords, A Feast For Crows, and A Dance with Dragons. As a writer-producer, he has worked on The Twilight Zone, Beauty and the Beast, and various feature films and pilots that were never made. He lives with the lovely Parris in Santa Fe, New Mexico.
