Elden Ring on Switch 2 comes with a big asterisk.

This article was updated on April 18, 2026 by Andrea Trama to include an explanation of what game key cards are and a list of games with key cards on Switch 2. This article was first published on April 9.

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition is available for pre-order now through Amazon. However, there are two big factors that could stop fans from immediately parting with their cash. One element is Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition It appears to be a game key card, and the other thing is the game's hefty $80 price tag.

It was originally released in February 2022 for PS4, PS5, PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. Elden Ring It received universal acclaim upon release and has continued to receive praise from fans and critics alike over the next four years. while Elden Ring The 2024 expansion still holds an impressive top critic average of 95 on OpenCritic. Elden Ring: Shadow of Edtree, The top critic average is 94. on most accounts Elden Ring is one of the best games of the last decade, and for many, one of the best video games of all time. And sometime this year, Nintendo Switch 2 owners will be able to play it for themselves.

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Elden Ring on Nintendo Switch 2 could be an $80 game key card.

NintendoSwitch2_ELDEN RING Discoloration Plate_Screenshot-1 — Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Switch 2 Screenshots

As first discovered by Reddit user mason2393 and posted on the r/NintendoSwitch2 subreddit. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition It's live now on Amazon. As pointed out in the original Reddit post, two things immediately stand out about this: Elden Ring Switch 2 Amazon Listing. The first one is Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition The price is $79.99.

The Game Key Card for Nintendo Switch 2 is a game card with no data inside. This means that you will need an internet connection to download and insert your key card to play those games. However, since you can use it on multiple devices without restrictions, you can easily resell it if you want. Here are the games that have keycards on Switch 2:

007 first light
Assassin's Creed Shadow
Borderlands 4
Bravely Default: Flying Fairy HD Remastered
Kronos: A New Dawn
destroy all humans
Digimon Story: Time Strangers
Disgaea 7 Complete
Disgaea chaos
Dragon Ball: Spark! zero
Dragon Quest 1 & 2 HD-2D Remake
Dragon Quest 7: Rebirth
Dynasty Warriors: Origins
EA Sports FC 26
EA Sports Madden NFL 26
Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition
Farming Simulator: Signature Edition
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Final Fantasy 7 Remake Intergrade
Gear.Club Unlimited 3
good night universe
High on Life 2
Hitman: World of Assassination – Signature Edition
hogwarts legacy
little nightmare 3
Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 2
Exclusive: Star Wars Heroes vs. Villains
Monster Hunter Stories 3: Twisted Reflections
NBA 2K26
Nicktoon and the Dice of Destiny
Nobunaga's Ambition: Awakening Complete Edition
Don't Sleep for Kaname Date – In AI: The Somnium Files
Octopath Traveler 0
Pacman World 2 Repack
Persona 3 Reload
PGA Tour 2K25
Pokemon Pokopia
pragmata
Puyo Puyo Tetris 2S
Raidou Remastered: The Mystery of the Soulless Army
Resident Evil Generations Pack
Resident Evil Requiem
Snow Runner
Sonic x Shadow Generation
SpongeBob SquarePants: Titans of the Tide
squirrel holding a gun
star wars outlaw
Starship Troopers: Ultimate Bug War
street fighter 6
Suikoden 1 & 2 HD Remastered
survival kids
Tales of Arise: Beyond the Dawn Edition
Elliot's Adventures: Millennium Tales
The Legend of Heroes: Trails Beyond the Horizon
rogue prince of persia
witch's bakery
Virtua Fighter 5 REVO World Stage
Wild Heart S
WWE 2K26
Yakuza 0: Director's Cut
Yakuza Kiwami
Yakuza Kiwami 2
Yakuza Kiwami 3 & Dark Thai
Ys

At first glance, this price tag seems prohibitively high. Especially when compared to other third-party Nintendo Switch 2 ports, such as: hogwarts legacy, star wars outlawand Assassin's Creed ShadowAll retail for $59.99. However, what is not immediately obvious in the following way: Elden Ring: Discolored editionAccording to ’s box art or Amazon’s current product description, this Switch 2 port also includes the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion pack. Bundle included from both PlayStation Store, Xbox Store, and Steam Elden Ring The Shadow of the Erdtree expansion pack costs $79.99. But that does mean the price of this Switch 2 version is Elden Ring It's technically in line with other console and PC offerings, but it's still above the likes. Cyberpunk 2077: Ultimate EditionIt includes both the base game and the Phantom Liberty expansion pack and retails for $69.99 on Switch 2.

Another notable asterisk comes with it. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition It's a game key card. For those of you who don't know, the Nintendo Switch 2 Game Key Card does not contain the full game on a cartridge, but instead acts more as a physical key that unlocks the full game download when inserted into the console. I can understand that the scale of the game is large, but Elden Ring And an expansion as powerful as Shadow of the Erdtree might not fit on a single regular Switch 2 game card, which will undoubtedly turn off some fans.

Rearranges covers into correct US release order.

Easy (5)Medium (7)Difficult (10)

Another thing to note is Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition There is no specific Switch 2 release date yet. Amazon has started taking pre-orders for the long-awaited port, but the listed release date is currently December 31, 2026, which is only a temporary placeholder.