Elden Ring’s official 2026 return was a release for Nintendo Switch 2, new content for existing platforms, and publisher-promoted Community Quests—not an announced sequel. The Tarnished Edition launched on August 28, 2026, so that date has already passed. Here’s what players can play on each platform.
What was Elden Ring’s official 2026 return?
Bandai Namco Entertainment announced the Nintendo Switch 2 release of ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition alongside new content for the existing game and Community Quests intended to bring players back to the Lands Between. The announcement framed these as ways to return to Elden Ring, not as a new mainline game. Bandai Namco’s August 28, 2026 announcement said: “Acclaimed Action RPG Debuts on Nintendo Switch 2; New Content Including Two Classes, New Armor Sets and Torrent Skins Comes to ELDEN RING on All Platforms.”
The release date was August 28, 2026. As of October 8, 2026, the Switch 2 edition has launched; August 28 is not a future date to mark on your calendar.
What can you play, and on which platform?
The right option depends on whether you’re starting on Switch 2 or already own Elden Ring on another supported platform. The two offerings are different: Tarnished Edition is a game edition, while Tarnished Pack is new content for the existing game.
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- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition contains the Elden Ring Base Game + Shadow of the Erdtree Expansion + Additional Content (including Torrent Skins, New Armors, and More...)
- MASSIVE OPEN WORLD
- DEEP, CUSTOMIZABLE COMBAT
- NEW STARTING CLASSES
- NEW PLAYER-FRIENDLY ENHANCEMENTS
| Option | Platform | What it is |
|---|---|---|
| ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition | Nintendo Switch 2 | The original ELDEN RING bundled with Shadow of the Erdtree, according to Bandai Namco’s release announcement. |
| Tarnished Pack | PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, and PC via Steam | New content for the existing game, including two classes, new armor sets, and Torrent skins, according to the same announcement. It is not described as a standalone game. |
If you’re new to the game and choosing Switch 2, look for Tarnished Edition. If you already play on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, or Steam, check the Tarnished Pack details for your platform. The announcement does not establish current prices, retailer stock, physical format, or regional availability; check the relevant storefront or retailer for those details.
Is this a new Elden Ring game or sequel?
No sequel is announced in the cited 2026 release announcement. It describes a Switch 2 edition of the original game, additional content for existing versions, and Community Quests. Bandai Namco’s official Elden Ring page identifies the game as an action RPG developed by FromSoftware and lists Tarnished Edition, Tarnished Pack, and Shadow of the Erdtree among its offerings.
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- ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition
FromSoftware also identified August 28, 2026 as the release date for Tarnished Edition and Tarnished Pack in its June 4, 2026 release notice.
What are the Community Quests?
Bandai Namco described Community Quests as shared activities encouraging players to return to the Lands Between. Its official Elden Ring site presents them as community activity around the game; they are separate from the Switch 2 edition and Tarnished Pack content.
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- A New Fantasy World – Journey through the Lands Between, a new fantasy world created by Hidetaka Miyazaki, creator of the influential Dark Souls video game series, and George R. R. Martin, author of The New York Times best-selling fantasy series, A Song of Ice and Fire. Unravel the mysteries of the Elden Ring’s power. Encounter adversaries with profound backgrounds, characters with their own unique motivations for helping or hindering your progress, and fearsome creatures
- World Exploration in the Lands Between – Elden Ring features vast fantastical landscapes and shadowy, complex dungeons that are connected seamlessly. Traverse the breathtaking world on foot or on horseback, alone or online with other players, and fully immerse yourself in the grassy plains, suffocating swamps, spiraling mountains, foreboding castles and other sites of grandeur on a scale never seen before in a FromSoftware title
- Genre-Defining Gameplay – Create your character in FromSoftware’s refined action-RPG and define your playstyle by experimenting with a wide variety of weapons, magical abilities, and skills found throughout the world. Charge into battle, pick off enemies one-by-one using stealth, or even call upon allies for aid. Many options are at your disposal as you decide how to approach exploration and combat
What other Elden Ring news was announced in 2026?
Bandai Namco’s official announcements listing includes a June 4, 2026 announcement of a live-action film adaptation with A24 and writer-director Alex Garland. That is a separate franchise development, not part of the game’s return. The listing does not establish a film release date or streaming service.
Bandai Namco’s August 28 announcement also described Elden Ring as having received more than 400 Game of the Year nominations. That figure refers to nominations, not wins.
Quick Recap
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![Elden Ring - Standard Edition [PlayStation 5] (German Version)](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51ye3mnByQL._SL160_.jpg)
- Jetzt ELDEN RING vorbestellen und Zugang zu Folgendem erhalten: Digitales Adventure Guide und Bonusgeste “Der Ring”
- Reisen Sie durch das Zwischenland – eine neue Fantasywelt aus der Feder von Hidetaka Miyazaki, dem Schöpfer der einflussreichen DARK SOULS-Videospielreihe, und George R. R. Martin, dem Autor der Fantasy-Bestsellerreihe „A Song of Ice and Fire“ (Das Lied von Eis und Feuer)
- ELDEN RING lockt mit gigantischen Fantasy-Landschaften und düsteren, komplexen Dungeons, die nahtlos ineinander übergehen
- Ein kostenloses Upgrade auf die PlayStation 5-Version wird für Spieler verfügbar sein, die ELDEN RING für die PlayStation 4 kaufen, und SmartDelivery wird auf der Xbox One und der Xbox Series X|S unterstützt
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