Elden Ring is easily one of the biggest and most influential AAA video games of the 2020s so far, and it's coming to the Nintendo Switch 2 later this year, meaning that Nintendo-exclusive players can finally experience the brutal, avant-garde open-world adventure. While this is great news for now, it should be followed by more, somewhat obvious Switch 2 reveals.
Nintendo platforms have unfortunately missed out on the overwhelming majority of FromSoftware games. Of course, Demon's Souls and Bloodborne never made their way to Nintendo platforms, nor any non-Sony system for that matter, but Dark Souls 2, Dark Souls 3, Sekiro: Shadows Die Twice, and Armored Core 6: Fires of Rubicon have been absent from the Switch as well. In fact, the only major FromSoftware game available on the Switch, at the time of writing, is Dark Souls Remastered which, while a welcome addition (especially after several much-needed post-launch patches), isn't anywhere near enough. Now that Nintendo has broken the seal by bringing Elden Ring onto the Switch 2, it should continue to cozy up with FromSoftware.
Why the Switch 2 is Being Compared to the Xbox One
The Nintendo Switch 2 looks promising, but some of its stranger features are prompting comparisons to the Xbox One's rough 2013 launch.
It's Long Past Time for More FromSoftware Games On a Nintendo Console
There's No Excuse for Nintendo Skipping Most Contemporary FromSoftware Titles
Time will tell just how well Elden Ring will perform on the Switch 2, but audiences can probably rest easy knowing that it will, at the very least, run. This is significant, as Elden Ring is arguably FromSoftware's most technically impressive and demanding title to date: it is visually stunning and dense, with huge draw distances and virtually no loading screens, making for a contiguous open-world experience. Its fidelity and density of POIs puts it leagues ahead of something like Tears of the Kingdom, whose ability to run on the Switch is already miraculous. That is to say, it makes sense that Elden Ring was never ported to the less-powerful Switch 1.
But the game's arrival on the Switch 2 indicates that the console is sufficiently powerful to run it, meaning that it should be more than suitable for the likes of Dark Souls 3 and Sekiro. Dark Souls 2 is a no-brainer, as it was originally released on the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3—consoles considerably less beefy than even the first-generation Switch. There's always the chance of messy licensing issues, but it's worth noting that DS2, DS3, and Armored Core 6 were all published by Bandai Namco Entertainment, the same publisher of Elden Ring and Dark Souls Remastered, so such problems seem relatively unlikely.
FromSoftware's Ouevre Would Greatly Benefit Nintendo's Long-Term Marketing Plans
It's clear that Nintendo has been looking to expand its family-friendly image in recent years, making a concerted effort to market both generations of the Switch to adults in addition to children and families. Part of this push to broaden target demographics has been an increased focus on action-RPGs, especially those that dabble in more mature themes like Bayonetta and Dark Souls. Nintendo's desire to appeal to a broader, older audience is more clear than ever following the reveal of The Duskbloods, a Switch 2-exclusive FromSoftware game about vampiric forces in a quasi-Gothic, steampunk setting—not exactly what young kids are going to trip over each other to play.
If Nintendo is looking to make the Switch 2 a viable alternative to other current-gen systems, not just for Nintendo fans, but for all gamers, then adopting more titles from FromSoftware's catalog simply makes sense. Precious few developers are as universally respected and consistently well-reviewed as FromSoftware, and the studio's famously challenging games, with surprisingly nuanced, sophisticated stories, are a great fit for audiences looking for a more mature, demanding interactive experience. Nintendo seemingly wants to provide that, so it would be smart to get in bed with FromSoftware.
- Brand
- Nintendo
- Operating System
- Proprietary
- Storage
- 256GB internal / MicroSD
- Resolution
- 1080p (handheld) / 4K (docked)
- App Store
- Nintendo eShop
- Wi-Fi
- Yes
The successor to 2017's Nintendo Switch continues down the same path as its predecessor, providing a hybrid experience that supports both home and handheld gaming. Launching on June 5, 2025, with games like Mario Kart World, the basic Nintendo Switch 2 bundle comes with the console, Joy-Con 2, straps for the controller, a dock, an AC adapter, an HDMI cable, and a Joy-Con 2 grip.
Checkbox: control the expandable behavior of the extra info- Ports
- 2x USB Type-C / 3.5mm audio
- HDR Support
- Yes
- Original Release Date
- June 5, 2025
- Original MSRP (USD)
- $449.99