Games

Kadokawa’s latest report keeps The Duskbloods and Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on track for Switch 2 in 2026

25 February 2026
Nintendo Switch 2
12 min.
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Kadokawa’s latest report keeps The Duskbloods and Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on track for Switch 2 in 2026

Summary:

Kadokawa’s newest earnings materials offered the one thing Switch 2 watchers wanted after a quieter-than-expected Partner Showcase: a clear sign of life. In the company’s forward-looking notes for its gaming pipeline, Kadokawa names two FromSoftware projects tied to Nintendo Switch 2 – The Duskbloods and ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition – and frames them as slated for release in 2026 for the system. That does not magically answer the questions everyone is actually asking, like when we will see gameplay, what the release month is, or whether either title is landing in the first half or the holiday stretch. What it does do is settle the nerves that pop up when a game goes missing for a few months and fans start reading tea leaves in every showcase lineup.

The missing Partner Showcase appearance is easy to overreact to, but it is not evidence of a delay on its own. Partner events often focus on a specific slice of third-party output, and some publishers prefer to hold bigger beats for broader presentations where attention is not split between thirty trailers in a row. Kadokawa’s own investor Q&A also points to a joint sales arrangement with Nintendo for at least one of these titles, which hints at coordination and timing choices that go beyond a normal multiplatform release. In other words, the silence looks less like a problem and more like a planned pause before the next proper reveal.

Kadokawa’s latest update, in plain English

We have a fresh, official breadcrumb from Kadokawa, and it is the kind that matters because it comes from the company’s own earnings materials, not a rumor thread that evaporates the moment someone blinks. The short version is simple: Kadokawa’s forward-looking notes for its gaming pipeline still name The Duskbloods and ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition for Nintendo Switch 2, and they are framed as 2026 releases for the platform. That single line does a lot of heavy lifting. It tells us these projects are still active, still planned around Switch 2, and still important enough to be mentioned in a business context where wording is usually cautious. If you felt uneasy after the latest Partner Showcase came and went without either title showing up, you are not alone. But a quiet showcase is not the same thing as a cancelled plan, and this update is the closest thing we have to a steady heartbeat check.

What the earnings materials actually say about Switch 2 releases

It helps to treat earnings materials like a restaurant chalkboard. The chef is not listing every ingredient or telling you exactly when the dish hits the pass, but they are confirming what is on the menu and what is not getting scrapped. In Kadokawa’s case, the forward outlook for its gaming pipeline mentions FromSoftware and explicitly names ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition and The Duskbloods as titles in development, with both slated for a 2026 release for Nintendo Switch 2. That is not a precise calendar date, and it is not a trailer. Still, it is a meaningful statement, because companies do not casually attach a platform and a year to high-profile projects in investor-facing materials if they think those plans are about to change. This is why the update lands with weight: it is boring in the best way. No drama, no fireworks, just a steady confirmation that the plan is intact.

The specific line that matters most

The most important detail is not the hype around the names. It is the phrasing and the pairing. Kadokawa places both ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition and The Duskbloods inside FromSoftware’s active development pipeline and attaches them to Nintendo Switch 2 with 2026 as the target year. That does two things at once. First, it links the projects together in terms of timing expectations, which is useful when fans worry one title is stealing oxygen from the other. Second, it frames Switch 2 as a core platform in the planning, not an afterthought. If you are trying to read between the lines, the safest takeaway is that Kadokawa is comfortable enough with the schedule to keep 2026 attached in a formal setting. That does not guarantee a specific month, but it does reduce the odds that silence equals trouble. Sometimes silence is just the publisher holding the microphone until the timing is right.

Why skipping a Partner Showcase is not a red flag

When a big name misses a showcase, it is tempting to treat it like a missed flight. “If it is not on the board, it must be delayed.” In reality, showcases are more like playlists. They are curated around pacing, partner priorities, and what Nintendo wants to frame as the moment’s headline. A Partner Showcase, in particular, can be a weird fit for certain kinds of reveals. If a title needs a longer gameplay segment, a developer message, or a more controlled reveal cadence, it can be held back even if it is on schedule. That is especially true for games that need to convince you on performance and feel. A quick montage does not do that job. So, if you were expecting The Duskbloods or ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition to pop up as a “one more thing” surprise and they did not, the healthier read is that the marketing plan simply did not call for it that day.

How Partner Showcases usually work

Partner events are often built for breadth rather than depth. You get a lot of titles, quick beats, and a sense of momentum across multiple publishers, which is great for variety but not always ideal for a major technical showcase. Nintendo’s own Partner Showcase page frames these presentations as a place to highlight Switch 2 and Switch games from publishing partners, which is accurate, but it does not promise that every major partner title will appear every time. Think of it like a movie trailer night. Not every studio drops its biggest blockbuster trailer on the same evening, even if the film is still coming. Sometimes they wait for the bigger stage. Sometimes they want a dedicated spotlight. Sometimes they are polishing the next footage slice so the first impression does not come with awkward caveats.

The Duskbloods: what we know, and what we do not

The Duskbloods is in an interesting spot because it is both highly anticipated and still oddly mysterious. FromSoftware’s reputation makes people hungry for details, but the official flow has been restrained, with long stretches where we have little to chew on. Kadokawa’s confirmation keeps the 2026 plan intact for Switch 2, yet it does not expand on what kind of game loop we should expect, how the online pieces are structured, or what the final tone really is. That gap is exactly where fan anxiety grows, because your brain hates empty space and starts filling it with worst-case scenarios. The better approach is to separate “unknown” from “bad.” Unknown can be intentional. Unknown can also be practical, especially if the project is still in the stage where showing too much risks misrepresenting the final feel. If The Duskbloods is aiming for a specific vibe or multiplayer structure, first impressions matter even more.

A new IP with deliberate silence

New IP does not get the same autopilot marketing as a sequel with a familiar template. When a studio like FromSoftware introduces something fresh, every reveal has to answer a basic question: “What are we actually doing here?” If the answer is not ready to be shown cleanly, it can be smarter to wait. That is why the silence around The Duskbloods does not automatically read as trouble. It can be the opposite. It can be a sign that the team wants the first proper gameplay showing to land with confidence, not with a dozen asterisks attached. You have probably seen this before with other big releases: the moment footage looks rough, the conversation becomes less about the game and more about the fear of the game. If the plan is to ship in 2026 on Switch 2, the next reveal likely needs to be the one that sets expectations clearly and gives fans something concrete to latch onto.

Why secrecy can be part of the strategy

Secrecy is not always a smoke screen. Sometimes it is a stage curtain. If you pull it back too early, you reveal the scaffolding, not the show. For a Switch 2 title, there is also a hardware perception factor. People will want to judge performance, load times, stability, and visual clarity, especially for a studio known for heavy atmosphere and demanding combat. If the next footage slice is not ready to represent the final target, holding it can be the smarter move. It is like waiting to serve a dish until the sauce is right. Yes, people are hungry, but serving it half-finished makes the hunger turn into complaints. Kadokawa’s earnings mention keeps the release year anchored. The rest is likely timing, polish, and choosing the reveal moment that tells the right story in the right way.

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition: why this version is a big deal on Switch 2

Elden Ring is already a giant in modern gaming, so putting a Switch 2 edition under a specific label raises expectations immediately. The “Tarnished Edition” name signals that this is not just a silent port tossed onto a new platform. It suggests a defined package, a clear identity, and a reason to pay attention even if you have played Elden Ring elsewhere. At the same time, ports of massive open-world games live or die on feel. You can forgive a lot if the controls are responsive, frame pacing is stable, and loading does not become a constant buzzkill. That is why Switch 2 is such an intriguing target. People want the fantasy of Elden Ring on the go without it feeling like you are dragging a castle through mud. Reports in the past have also pointed to schedule adjustments for this version, which is exactly why Kadokawa keeping it pinned to 2026 matters for confidence.

What players expect from performance and portability

When players talk about Elden Ring on a portable system, they are really talking about trust. Trust that dodges register. Trust that boss fights do not turn into slideshow comedy at the worst possible moment. Trust that the open world feels like a place, not a performance test. If Tarnished Edition lands in 2026 as planned, the conversation will revolve around how Switch 2 handles the game’s heaviest moments and how well the package respects player time. Portability is the headline, but stability is the foundation. Nobody wants to beat a late-game boss because the frame rate accidentally gave them a slower-motion advantage. And nobody wants the opposite, either. The ideal outcome is simple: you pick it up, it feels good, and you stop thinking about hardware. You just play. That is the bar, and it is why marketing for this version may be more careful about showing the right footage at the right time.

Timing: where announcements usually land on the calendar

If you are trying to predict when we will hear more, the trick is to watch patterns rather than pin everything on a single showcase. Big updates often cluster around moments where Nintendo has the loudest microphone and where partners can get more than thirty seconds of air time. The February 2026 Partner Showcase did happen, and it still left both The Duskbloods and Elden Ring Tarnished Edition on the sidelines, which naturally caused some side-eye. But Kadokawa’s subsequent confirmation makes it more likely that the next beat is simply being saved for a better stage. In practice, that can mean a broader Nintendo presentation, a dedicated segment, or even a partner event where the pacing allows a longer gameplay look. The key is that the year is still anchored. Once a year is anchored, the remaining question becomes which quarter Nintendo and the publishers want to own.

The difference between “this year” and “fiscal year” talk

This is where people get tripped up, and it is totally understandable. Companies speak in fiscal calendars, investors listen for fiscal implications, and fans hear “this year” and imagine a neat January-to-December box. Kadokawa’s materials are tied to a fiscal year structure, and the Q&A language around whether a title is included in a specific fiscal outlook can sound like corporate fog if you are reading it as a gamer. The safe interpretation is not “they are hiding the date.” It is “they are not ready to commit publicly.” A 2026 release statement is a wide umbrella, and that umbrella can cover early 2026, late 2026, and everything in between. So, rather than treating the lack of a month as suspicious, treat it as standard caution. Dates get announced when marketing and production are confident enough that the date will stick.

What Nintendo and Kadokawa each gain from these releases

These two titles serve different goals, which is part of why they are so valuable in the Switch 2 lineup. For Nintendo, a FromSoftware exclusive like The Duskbloods is a statement piece. It says Switch 2 is not only about first-party giants, but also a place where top-tier third-party studios can build something tailored for the platform. For Kadokawa and FromSoftware, Switch 2 offers a new audience and a new headline, especially if the release is treated as a major moment rather than a quiet port drop. Elden Ring Tarnished Edition, on the other hand, is a known blockbuster, and getting it on Switch 2 extends the life of the game while meeting the demand for portable play. Put them together and you get a one-two punch: a prestige new project and a proven giant, both reinforcing the idea that Switch 2 is a serious place to play large-scale action RPGs.

Why exclusivity and partnerships change the marketing rhythm

When a project is exclusive or closely coordinated, marketing becomes less of a free-for-all and more of a choreographed dance. Kadokawa’s investor Q&A mentions a joint sales arrangement with Nintendo for at least one of the titles, with responsibilities divided by region, which strongly suggests coordination behind the scenes. That kind of coordination can affect when trailers drop, which events get the premiere, and how much information is shared at once. It can also explain why a Partner Showcase might not be the chosen moment. If Nintendo wants a bigger stage to frame the game as part of the Switch 2 identity, it may hold the reveal for a broader presentation. And if the publisher wants the footage to land alongside a clear message about release timing, platforms, and what makes the version special, it may wait until those pieces align.

What to watch for next

If you want practical signals instead of wishful thinking, look for the boring indicators that usually show up before a real reveal. Store page updates, rating board activity, official social posts that shift from vague hype to specific language, and Nintendo scheduling a presentation that is not narrowly themed. You can also watch for interviews or developer commentary that starts using more concrete phrasing, because that often happens when the team is comfortable showing more. For The Duskbloods, the big tell will be when messaging starts describing how the game actually plays and what the core loop is. For Elden Ring Tarnished Edition, the tell will be footage that feels confident in performance, not carefully cropped to avoid stress points. Once you see those signs, the next trailer is usually not far behind. Until then, Kadokawa’s confirmation is the anchor: these projects are still in the plan for Switch 2 in 2026.

Signals that a reveal is close

The clearest sign is when Nintendo and the publisher start talking like they have a date in their pocket, even if they are not sharing it yet. That can look like “coming this fall” language, or a shift from “in development” to “arriving” phrasing, or even just a more confident cadence in updates. Another sign is when the conversation moves from “will it exist” to “how will it run” and “what is included,” because that is usually the stage right before preorders and marketing beats. For fans, it can feel like watching a kettle. Nothing happens, nothing happens, and then suddenly it is boiling. The trick is to remember that most of the work happens in the quiet part. If Kadokawa is still comfortable saying 2026 for Switch 2, the kettle is at least on the stove.

What we should not assume yet

It is easy to leap from “still planned for 2026” to “coming soon,” but that jump is where disappointment breeds. We should not assume either game is landing in the first half of 2026. We should not assume a shadow drop or a surprise release month reveal. We should also not assume that missing one Partner Showcase means the next presentation will definitely include both titles. Marketing calendars are messy, and games get slotted where they fit best. The responsible stance is to treat Kadokawa’s statement as confirmation of direction, not as a promise of immediacy. The upside is that this direction is exciting. A Switch 2 year that includes a FromSoftware exclusive and a dedicated Elden Ring edition sounds like a strong plan. We just need the next step: a proper showing that replaces speculation with details you can actually point to.

Conclusion

Kadokawa’s latest earnings materials do not give us dates to circle, but they do give us something more important after a quiet showcase: clarity that the plan is still alive. The Duskbloods and ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition are still positioned as 2026 releases for Nintendo Switch 2, and that matters because it comes from the parent company speaking in an investor-facing context. The absence from the February 5, 2026 Partner Showcase is understandable when you consider how these events are structured and how careful publishers can be with first impressions, especially for technically demanding games. For now, the smartest move is to treat this as a stabilizing update, not a countdown. When the next reveal lands, it will likely land with purpose: gameplay, positioning, and a clearer window. Until then, we have the anchor point, and it is solid.

FAQs
  • Did Kadokawa actually confirm both games are still coming to Switch 2 in 2026?
    • Yes. In its earnings materials, Kadokawa names ELDEN RING Tarnished Edition and The Duskbloods in FromSoftware’s pipeline and frames them as slated for a 2026 release for Nintendo Switch 2.
  • Why were The Duskbloods and Elden Ring Tarnished Edition missing from the February 2026 Partner Showcase?
    • A Partner Showcase is curated and often fast-paced, so it may not be the preferred stage for longer, performance-focused gameplay segments or tightly coordinated reveals.
  • Does “slated for 2026” mean we will get a release date soon?
    • Not necessarily. It confirms the target year, but companies often wait to announce a specific date until marketing and production are confident the date will hold.
  • What is a realistic next step we can expect for both titles?
    • The most realistic next step is a clearer gameplay showing and messaging that explains what each version includes, followed by a more precise release window like a season or quarter.
  • Should we worry that silence means a delay?
    • Silence alone is not proof of a delay. With projects of this scale, publishers often hold footage until it represents the target experience well, especially on a new platform.
Sources
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