Overview
- Bandai Namco showed a newly optimized Elden Ring Tarnished Edition build on Switch 2 at GDC, which Polygon tested in docked and handheld modes.
- The previewer found noticeably improved image quality in both modes, suggesting an emphasis on visual fidelity over raw performance.
- Based on the hands-on impression, frame rates hovered roughly between 30 and 40 FPS and are unlikely to reach 60 FPS.
- Performance still dipped in certain scenarios, including rainfall while riding Torrent, raising questions about stability in visually busy areas.
- The demo added two new classes—a heavy knight and a lighter knight—that the reporter said fit well with existing archetypes, easing some worry about Switch 2-native projects like The Duskbloods.