The Duskbloods beating Elden Ring to Switch 2 Punch would be a boon

The real unknown, however, is which of these two FromSoftware games will hit the Switch 2 first. Then Fire Ring has already been available on Steam, PlayStation and Xbox consoles since 2022, it would be natural to assume that Fire Ring would be the first to come to the Switch 2. After The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition was delayed, Duskbloods has the chance to be the first of these upcoming FromSoftware titles to reach the Switch 2, and that wouldn't be the worst outcome for this situation.

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What to expect from Elden Ring developer FromSoftware in 2026

FromSoftware, the studio behind Elden Ring, Dark Souls and more, has a busy year ahead, releasing at least one major project, and likely more.

The Duskbloods may come to Nintendo Switch 2 Before Elden Ring

Duskbloods was officially revealed as a Nintendo Switch 2 exclusive back in April 2025 during the Switch 2 Nintendo Direct. Alongside this disclosure was the announcement that Fire Ring would also get a Switch 2 release in the form of Shameful edition. Originally, The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition was slated for a 2025 release, with Duskbloods planned for 2026. The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition was delayed beyond its 2025 release window back in October.

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With The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition pushed out of the 2025 opening window, the door is open to Duskbloods to skip it as the next FromSoftware game coming to Switch 2. As a Switch 2 exclusive, Duskbloods offers Nintendo fans the unique opportunity to experience its PvPvE combat through online multiplayer gameplay. While this may not be the definitive FromSoftware experience for first-time Switch owners, the pairing is off The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition should give Nintendo fans the best of both worlds.

The Duskblood's release date may have leaked

The wait for Duskbloods may be close to ending, according to a recent release date leak. A list for Duskbloods was first seen on the Australian Nintendo eShop, and Finnish website Konsolinet had the game listed as releasing on March 27 before quickly changing back to the default December 31 placeholder. While it's possible these listings are just a coincidence or retailer error, rumors of a new Nintendo Direct in late February could bring news of an imminent release for Duskbloods and also a potential update on The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Editions release date.

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Duskbloods is something completely different for FromSoft, but it retains the most iconic soul-like feature (not combat!)

Because as different as it is from its predecessors, The Duskbloods will retain at least one key FromSoftware staple – and it's not what you think.

Elden Ring doesn't need to rush to Switch 2

It may seem strange to The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition to let go Duskbloodsespecially since it was originally slated to launch in 2025. But a longer delay might actually be for the best, according to hands-on impressions from players who got to test The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition on the Switch 2 reported that it has serious performance issues on the console. Presumably these performance issues were the cause of the delay, and having more time to resolve them, especially with Duskbloods as an option to get players over in the meantime.

Even on other consoles, Elden Ring has notorious performance issues

Fire RingPerformance issues with the Switch 2 aren't that surprising in retrospect. The game notoriously struggled to run on even the most powerful PCs at launch, failing to hit 60fps on both PS5 and Xbox Series X at launch. These performance issues also led Fire Ring to debut to mixed reviews on Steam, despite the overall rave reviews elsewhere. While Fire Ring has largely fixed these issues on other platforms, it's understandable that FromSoftware would want to launch the game in the best possible state on Nintendo Switch 2 to avoid a repeat of its initial launch issues.

Duskbloods could keep from software fans busy until Elden Ring's Switch 2 port is ready

If Duskbloods really released as soon as March 27, it has the chance to be a stop for The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition. A brand new IP-like Duskbloods will be a test for FromSoftware and its soul-like audience on the Nintendo Switch 2, which may inform how The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Editions release is approaching. In the event that Duskbloods doesn't capture the same number of players as FromSoftware's more traditional soul-like titles, then The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition will still be in the developer's back pocket as it works to optimize its Switch 2 performance.

On the other hand, if Duskbloods becomes the next hit exclusively for Nintendo Switch 2, then it gives FromSoftware some breathing room with The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Editionwhich gives the developer more time to refine the port. Conversely, if The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition is in a hurry to release first and its Switch 2 performance thoughts, then it may affect the player's expectations of Duskbloods and leave an unproven IP trapped between a rock and a hard place. Then Duskbloods is a Switch 2 exclusive, it will likely be developed with the console's hardware limitations in mind, giving it a better chance to shine on the platform and make a good first impression of FromSoftware's Switch 2 lineup if released before The Ring of Fire: Tarnished Edition.

System

Released

2026

Multiplayer

Online Multiplayer

Number of players

1-8 players

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