Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition Struggles on Nintendo Switch 2 Due to CPU Bottlenecks

At Gamescom 2025, two of the most hyped Nintendo Switch 2 ports were put to the test, and the contrast couldn’t be sharper. On one hand, Final Fantasy VII Remake stunned attendees with visuals that actually surpass its PlayStation 4 version, running at a stable 30 FPS with crisp image quality that seems to benefit from NVIDIA DLSS.

On the other, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition left fans worried, struggling to maintain even basic performance.

Reports from the show floor describe frame rates well below the 30 FPS target, resulting in a jarring and inconsistent experience. This is particularly surprising since the game runs reasonably well on the Steam Deck, a device many assumed was comparable to Nintendo’s new hardware. However, according to analysis from Digital Foundry, the culprit may lie in CPU limitations. The Switch 2’s processor appears to trail behind the Steam Deck’s, and Elden Ring has long been known as a CPU-hungry title that falters even on high-end PCs in demanding areas.

Adding to the challenge, this is reportedly the first ARM-based conversion of the game’s engine, which could explain the shaky state of the port at this stage. While the GPU power of the Switch 2 – especially when docked – may approach that of Microsoft’s Xbox Series S, the weaker CPU is creating a bottleneck that developers will have to carefully optimize around.

The contrast with Final Fantasy VII Remake highlights both the potential and the limitations of the Switch 2. Square Enix’s port looks polished and shows how good games can look and play when properly optimized. Meanwhile, Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition illustrates how technical hurdles, especially on the CPU side, can hold back even the most anticipated releases. The hope is that with more time before launch, FromSoftware and its partners can refine the performance, because this is a game that deserves better than a compromised debut on Nintendo’s new system.