Elden Ring: Warped Switch 2 release once again sparks controversy over the game’s keycards

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition was part of the first batch of games revealed to be part of Nintendo Switch 2 lineup last year, but it has not been released yet. Developer of software Delay the game From its initial release of 2025, but on Thursday, pre-orders opened at retailers. However, some players are not happy with this news, but not for the reason one might expect.

Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition will cost $80, according to Pre-order listingsalthough a release date has not been confirmed yet. the Switch 2 The release includes the base game 2022 and Shadow of the Erdtree DLCwhich costs the same price on other platforms. What’s different between the Switch 2 version and the other versions is that it comes on Game key cardWhich angers the players.

Game-Key Cards are Nintendo’s solution for storing larger games. Since the Switch 2 still uses cartridges, a game like Elden Ring will need carts with enough storage space for the entire game, which according to To the game box75 GB. A shopping cart that fits the size of the game will have significant hardware costs, especially considering the size of the game Current storage shortage.

To offset the cost of the shopping cart, Nintendo created Game-Key Cards, which are cartridges that do not contain the game, and are just enough to validate the game with Nintendo’s servers and allow it to be downloaded to the Switch 2. Once the game is downloaded to the Switch 2 and the cartridge is inserted, you do not need an Internet connection to play it.

Why do people get upset about the Game-Key Card feature?

while Game key card feature It helps reduce the cost of releasing a physical game, and also prevents the buyer from owning a physical copy. There is growing concern about the lack of video game ownership, as more publishers delist games, which means removing them from storefronts. Once a game is deleted from an online store, it is almost impossible to re-download that game to another device. PUBG game for PS4 and Xbox One It was released in 2018For example, but the publisher announced These versions will no longer be supportedmaking it unplayable.

called the consumer movement Stop killing games It aims to challenge game companies’ legal right to destroy games that are primarily purchased by consumers. It has made strides in both the UK and the EU, hoping that relevant legislatures will pass consumer protection laws to prevent companies from disrupting games that have already been purchased.

Will the digital version of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition be cheaper?

Starting with the release Yoshi and the Mysterious Book in May, Nintendo will charge $10 less for the digital version of its gamesWhich means a $70 physical game would cost $60 if purchased digitally from Nintendo. It is unclear whether other publishers will follow suit. Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition has a list in the menu Nintendo websitebut there is no price yet.

What’s new in Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition?

When publisher Bandai Namco revealed the warped version of Elden Ring, they confirmed that there would be some new content, but not much. This includes new armor, weapons, and customization features for Torrent’s appearance. There will also be two additional starter classes: the Idis Knight, who is faster and more agile, and the Heavy Knight, who, as the name suggests, wears heavy armor and starts with a Great Word.

The addition of new starter classes to the game doesn’t change much, as players can change their stats, equipment, and abilities as they play, meaning a class that starts out relying on magic may end up using heavy weapons and vice versa. However, fans of the game can gain a piece of new information from these new classes, as each starting character has their own backstory that provides a piece of detail to the world of Elden Ring.

Bandai Namco says that new content in the Tarnished Edition will make its way to other platforms via the Tarnished Pack DLC that will be available at the same time as this version of the game. The publisher has not yet announced the price of the DLC, but it is expected to cost $10.