As you can check out in the two videos below (courtesy of Famitsu and Denfaminico), both handheld mode and docked mode were showcased. While the console wasn’t able to go all the way up to a steady frame rate of 60 FPS in either mode, the title was still running quite smoothly at 30 FPS. However, handheld mode still carries some caveats; some frame drops can be seen whenever the player takes on enemies with more going on, like large creatures or boss fights.

Generally, however, the moment-to-moment gameplay has seemingly benefited quite a bit from FromSoftware’s focus on refining the port. The fact that the title is still ten days away could also indicate that the studio has a day-one patch planned that will smooth out some of these issues.

Previews of Elden Ring Tarnished Edition running on the Nintendo Switch 2 had first popped up back in March during GDC 2026. At the time, attending publications had noted that the game’s performance was already vastly improved when compared to what we had seen last year.

The Nintendo Switch 2 release was originally announced all the way back in April 2025, and while details weren’t quite revealed at the time, some reports started coming out in the following months indicating poor performance. One such report gave the impression that, despite a frame rate cap of 30 FPS, the Tarnished Edition version of the game often dipped down to 20, and sometimes even 15 FPS. Comparisons were made to the frame rate of Nintendo 64 title The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time, which is known for running at 20 FPS.

Elden Ring was originally announced back in 2022 across PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. The title is the second-latest single-player outing by the studio, and saw immensely positive critical reception. It even went on to become many publications’ game of the year at the time. In 2024, FromSoftware released the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, which further expanded on the title’s story by giving us a glimpse at its past and two of its major characters.

The core story of Elden Ring is told quite loosely, largely through strange conversations, item descriptions, and environmental storytelling. It puts players in the shoes of the Tarnished One who has been Marked by Grace, and has been tasked by a strange woman with acquiring the Great Runes to reforge the eponymous Elden Ring.

Throughout your time with the game, you slowly learn about the machinations of the Greater Will, the various factions all vying for power over the Empty Throne, the ultimate fate of the previous rulers of the land, and the reason why everyone seems to be stuck in a never-ending war.

“Dream job to end all dream jobs. 6 solid months of blood, sweat, and tears making the coolest stuff ever, working alongside the best of the best. Can’t share anything else for a very long time, but I couldn’t be more proud of what we did. See you in the Lands Between on March 3rd, 2028!”

Schofield has worked on a number of critically acclaimed projects in the past, including Thor: The Dark World, Netflix’s The Witcher adaptation, Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Game of Thrones, among others. Interestingly, he has also worked with the Elden Ring movie’s writer and director, Alex Garland, in the past on the 2022 film Men.

The Elden Ring movie’s full cast, along with its release date, was revealed back in April. It is set to star Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus, Civil War, and Wake Up Dead Man: A Knives Out Mystery) and Ben Wishaw (Skyfall, Spectre, and No Time to Die). Other cast members include Nick Offerman (The Last of Us, Parks and Recreation) and Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, John Wick: Chapter 2).

Concrete details about the film’s story haven’t yet been revealed, including whether it will adapt the Tarnished One’s journey through the Lands Between as a whole, or if it will instead focus on smaller character-oriented arcs featuring Ranni, for instance. Garland has spoken about how, when he first pitched the film adaptation to Bandai Namco, he turned in an “epic” 160-page draft. He has also confessed to being a fan of the game, calling Malenia, Blade of Miquella the toughest fight he experienced during his time.

“It’s Malenia who’s the tough one. I’m now on my seventh playthrough of that game,” he said. “I’ve leveled up, I’ve got lots of juice, and a cool sword, and stuff like that, and I just throw myself at them again, and again, and again, and again. That was the technique I learned with Dark Souls,” he said. “It’s not that you get better, it’s more like monkeys and typewriters. You just keep doing it, and eventually, one day they’re dead.”

A report from back in April has indicated that Elden Ring is being produced with a budget of more than $100 million. When compared to A24’s other releases, Elden Ring will essentially be the production company’s most expensive, largest, and most ambitious project yet. At the time, it was also believed that the principal photography for the movie would take place over the course of 100 days before it would then be sent for post-production work.

“This game [Bloodborne] has a lot of fans all over the world, and it still doesn’t have a PS5 version,” Yoshida said. “PlayStation’s first-party team is releasing a ton of remasters, so why don’t they release this one? There’s no PC release. I am often asked why these haven’t been released, but it’s a complete mystery. Maybe they’ll come out in the future. Maybe they won’t. Maybe they’ll make a special edition. Maybe they won’t. As a huge fan, I hope it will come out.”

He then went on to talk about how he got the Platinum trophy in Bloodborne – a feat that requires the player to earn every other trophy available in the game, and even called beating the Watchdog of the Old Lords while live on stage a career highlight.

Interestingly, Yoshida had spoken about Bloodborne in the past, and when he was asked about a potential sequel or remaster, said that it likely won’t happen due to director Hidetaka Miyazaki being busy with other things.

“I have only my personal theory to that situation,” he explained in an interview. “I left first party so I don’t know what’s going on, but my theory is… Miyazaki-san really loved Bloodborne, you know, what he created. So, I think he is interested but he’s so successful and he’s so busy, so he… cannot do it himself, but he does not want anyone else to touch it.”

Rumors from back in February have indicated that the now-defunct studio Bluepoint Games had pitched a remake of Bloodborne before it got shut down. Bluepoint is known for its work on seminal remakes of games like Demon’s Souls and Shadow of the Colossus. The studio’s pitch reportedly came after a live-service God of War game it was working on got canceled. Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier said that FromSoftware “didn’t want it to happen”, however.

Interest in a new Bloodborne game might force Sony’s and FromSoftware’s hands, however, since an animated adaptation of the critically acclaimed game is now in the works. Production is being handled by PlayStation Production, Lyrical Animation, and YouTuber Seán “JackSepticEye” McLoughlin. While no details about the project have been revealed, the announcement by Sony Pictures Entertainment Motion Picture Group’s president, Sanford Pantich, promised that it would be “very true” to the spirit of the game.

In the meantime, fans of Bloodborne who want to experience it with smoother frame rates and improved visuals can mod their PS5 to run an improved version of the game. Improvements to the game played in this way involved allowing the PS5 to use more horsepower than it typically does to play a PS4 release.

It’s also worth noting that this is a pre-release version of the PvEvP title. FromSoftware has yet to outline the number of playable characters or how extensive the amount of content will be, but the goal of this test is online performance, including “large-scale network load.”

Of course, it’s also looking for any bugs that could occur in a multiplayer environment and whether the balance is on point. The closed network test runs from August 21st to 23rd, and will support a limited number of applicants. If you’re eager to try it out before launch, like many other players, then now is the time to apply.

But when will The Duskbloods launch? Aside from the official 2026 release window, FromSoftware has yet to confirm a release date. Rumors indicate it could miss the Summer window and instead arrive later this year. With its vampire-heavy themes and gothic architecture, we wouldn’t single out a launch sometime in October, right on time for Halloween. Stay tuned for updates in the meantime.

Those selected will gain access to a pre-release version of the PvEvP Souls-like to test game balance, server load, and other issues that may crop up for a multiplayer title such as this. There’s no guarantee that you’ll get in, of course, and unfortunately, like Elden Ring Nightreign, there’s unlikely to be an open beta ahead of launch.

But at least it’s an indication that development is moving forward. The Duskbloods doesn’t have a release date, but it will allegedly arrive late this year. If it follows the same release pattern as Nightreign and launches three months after its closed network test, that would put it somewhere in late November – the same period as Grand Theft Auto 6.

Whether FromSoftware will risk this remains to be seen, especially given the lack of overlap between the audiences and platforms, so stay tuned. Alternatively, it could always delay The Duskbloods to early 2027, much like other high-profile titles, including Fable, Tomb Raider: Legacy of Atlantis and so on, have done.

Stay tuned for more details and in the meantime, head here to learn more about some of the mechanics.

Before getting into the details of how this was accomplished, however, Digital Foundry first establishes the baseline performance of Bloodborne on its original launch platform. The title, even now, suffers from quite a few performance issues, including being locked to a frame rate of 30 FPS despite suffering from inconsistent frame pacing, which tends to introduce quite a bit of stuttering. It is worth noting that the title also didn’t benefit much from running on the more powerful PS4 Pro.

Playing it on a modded PS5, however, results in Bloodborne running at a higher resolution and also maintaining smooth frame rates of 120 FPS thanks to variable refresh rate support, and even gameplay improvements thanks to lower latency, which lead to snappier controls.

To run Bloodborne on a PS5 like this, however, the console has to be modded quite a bit through exploits only possible on older console firmware versions. These mods essentially involved giving the software systems that run PS4 games on the PS5 more access to the current-generation console’s modern features, like additional RAM and even support for variable refresh rate. Paired with the fact that the PS5 is also much faster than the PS4 was, the title is able to run in a smoother manner.

The video has noted that, though introduced via mods, the enhancements that have been showcased in the video could be possible for Sony to implement on its own if the company had any interest in doing so.

The fact that neither Sony nor original developer FromSoftware has any interest in revisiting Bloodborne in some way has been evident for quite some time. Interestingly, shortly after the closure of Bluepoint Games – a studio well-known for its work on remakes and remasters – was announced, a report indicated that the studio had even pitched a remake of Bloodborne. However, FromSoftware was seemingly not keen on the idea. As for Sony’s role in this, the report has indicated that Sony simply wants to respect FromSoftware’s decision on the matter.

Last year, former PlayStation boss Shuhei Yoshida had also spoken about a new Bloodborne game being unlikely to happen due to just how busy director Hidetaka Miyazaki is with his other projects.

“I have only my personal theory to that situation,” explained Yoshida in an interview. “I left first party so I don’t know what’s going on, but my theory is… Miyazaki-san really loved Bloodborne, you know, what he created. So I think he is interested, but he’s so successful, and he’s so busy, so he… cannot do it himself, but he does not want anyone else to touch it.”

In the meantime, Bloodborne is getting an animated adaptation, co-produced by PlayStation Studios, Lyrical Animation, and Seán “Jack SepticEye” McLoughlin.

The trailer did hint at some new playable Bloodsworn, though we didn’t really get to see their abilities or much by way of gameplay. At least the art direction, especially the architecture, looks incredibly solid, as is typical of the developer.

The Duskbloods is the story of humanity’s end, where over 12 Bloodsworn, the playable cast, compete to obtain the First Blood. Each has unique abilities and backstories, but you don’t have to attack the first person you see. Instead, you could mark them as a companion, taking on challenges together. Of course, if you want to mark them as a rival for some PvP, that’s also an option.

While this is the second multiplayer-focused title from FromSoftware after Elden Ring Nightreign, it isn’t completely abandoning its focus on single-player titles. What shape that may take in the future remains to be seen, but at the very least, The Duskbloods should help make the wait easier.

The Switch 2 edition brings new content in the form of armor sets, weapons and even options for customizing Torrent, the Spectral Steed. This will be available to other platforms with the Tarnished Pack DLC, which is also out on the same day. It’s not free, but Genki on Twitter notes that it’s only 550 Yen in Japan, which is about $3.44 in the United States.

It’s possible that FromSoftware and Bandai Namco price it for about $5 or the equivalent worldwide. Not the worst, overall – just don’t compare it to, say, The Forsaken Hollows for Elden Ring Nightreign, which costs $15 and adds a new map, Day Three bosses and playable Nightfarers alongside much more.

Regardless, those picking up Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on the Nintendo Switch 2 are in for a treat, since it includes the base game and Shadow of the Erdtree expansion, both critically acclaimed. While the digital version’s price is unknown, you can pre-order the physical version from Amazon for $79.99 (though it’s a Game-Key card release).

The cast list for the Elden Ring movie includes Nick Offerman (The Last of Us, Margo’s Got Money Troubles), Ben Whishaw (Peter Hujar’s Day, This is going to Hurt), Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace), and Emma Laird (28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, A Haunting in Venice), among others. A24 has also confirmed that the film will hit theaters on March 3rd, 2028.

While these details might be coming out just now, a report from earlier this month has indicated that principal photography on the film may have already started some time ago. An Elden Ring fan managed to discover that some of the filming was happening close to their house, and was able to grab a few videos revealing a set that looks like a ruined Church of Marika. While more precise details about the location haven’t been revealed, another report has indicated that it was taking place in England’s Windsor Great Park, which has been noted as the filming location for projects like Pirates of the Caribbean and The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power.

The Elden Ring movie adaptation was officially confirmed all the way back in May 2025. A24 is producing the project, with Alex Garland – known for his work on projects like 28 Days Later, 28 Years Later, and Dredd – taking the role of director and writer. George R.R. Martin, who had previously worked with FromSoftware to flesh out the world and story of Elden Ring, is also involved with the film as its producer, alongside Vince Geradis, Peter Rice, Andrew Macdonald, and Allon Reich.

No details about the story of the film have been revealed as of yet, including whether or not it will include the in-game protagonist – the Tarnished One – or if it will instead focus on one the game’s many other characters, like Ranni, for example. Garland had revealed that his pitch to Bandai Namco for the film adaptation involved an “epic” 160-page draft, accompanied by 40 pages of images.

He also confirmed that he is a fan of the open-world RPG, and in an interview, discussed the fact that Malenia, Blade of Miquella, was the hardest boss fight in the entire game.

“It’s Malenia who’s the tough one. I’m now on my seventh playthrough of that game,” he said. “I’ve leveled up, I’ve got lots of juice, and a cool sword, and stuff like that, and I just throw myself at them again, and again, and again, and again. That was the technique I learned with Dark Souls,” he said. “It’s not that you get better, it’s more like monkeys and typewriters. You just keep doing it, and eventually, one day they’re dead.”

It will also feature Nick Offerman (The Last of Us, Parks and Recreation) and Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy). Check out the full cast list below. It is worth noting that, while we now know the actors involved with the film project, we still don’t know which characters they will be playing.

The film adaptation of Elden Ring was officially announced in May last year, with A24 handling production work and Alex Garland serving as director and writer. The project will also feature the involvement of A Song of Ice and Fire author George R.R. Martin as producer alongside Vince Geradis, Peter Rice, Andrew Macdonald, and Allon Reich.

Garland has revealed himself to be a fan of the game and discussed the fact that Malenia, Blade of Miquella, was the hardest boss fight in Elden Ring in an interview.

“It’s Malenia who’s the tough one. I’m now on my seventh playthrough of that game. I’ve leveled up, I’ve got lots of juice, and a cool sword, and stuff like that, and I just throw myself at them again, and again, and again, and again. That was the technique I learned with Dark Souls,” he said. “It’s not that you get better, it’s more like monkeys and typewriters. You just keep doing it, and eventually, one day they’re dead.”

He had also revealed that his main pitch for the Elden Ring film adaptation involved an “epic” 160-page draft, which included 40 pages of images.

Earlier this month, a fan had seemingly figured out one of the filming locations and, since it was close to their home, decided to record a couple of videos. While we didn’t get too many details about the Elden Ring film from these videos, the remains of a Church of Marika were clearly visible.

In the meantime, Elden Ring remains available to play on PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S. A Nintendo Switch 2 release of the base game and its Shadow of the Erdtree expansion is planned, with pre-orders having recently popped up on Amazon for $79.99.

Elden Ring film adaptation full cast:

• Kit Connor (Warfare, Heartstopper)
• Ben Whishaw (Peter Hujar’s Day, This is going to Hurt)
• Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus, Civil War)
• Tom Burke (Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Black Bag)
• Havana Rose Liu (Tuner, Bottoms)
• Sonoya Mizuno (Ex Machina)
• Jonathan Pryce (The Two Popes, The Crown)
• Ruby Cruz (Bottoms, The Threesome)
• Nick Offerman (The Last of Us, Margo’s Got Money Troubles)
• John Hodgkinson (Dear England, Napoleon)
• Jefferson Hall (House of the Dragon, Oppenheimer)
• Emma Laird (28 Years Later: The Bone Temple, A Haunting in Venice)
• Peter Serafinowicz (Guardians of the Galaxy, Star Wars: The Phantom Menace)