Elden Ring Goes Offline for 3 Hours on August 27 Ahead of New DLC

FromSoftware has announced server maintenance for Elden Ring across all platforms from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. Beijing time on August 27, 2026. During the window, online multiplayer will be temporarily unavailable, while offline single-player content will remain playable. The maintenance will also push an update patch for the upcoming Tarnished Pack, with FromSoftware apologizing for the inconvenience.

Four years after launch, Elden Ring is still receiving more than routine upkeep from FromSoftware, which is notable this far into its life. The patch is not just a compatibility pass. It also includes balance adjustments and bug fixes, and it is being prepared to land alongside the Nintendo Switch 2 version of Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition.

The maintenance window is short, but the update is tied to a larger release beat. The Tarnished Pack is scheduled for release on August 28, 2026, arriving alongside Elden Ring: Tarnished Edition on Nintendo Switch 2. That Switch 2 edition is a dedicated port built for the platform, and it includes the base game, the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC, new armor, and new features. For Switch 2 players, the new content is built in. On PS5, PS4, Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, and PC digital versions, players can buy the Tarnished Pack separately.

The more interesting question is whether Switch 2 can carry a game this large without obvious compromises. FromSoftware does not treat ports as throwaway announcements, so bringing Elden Ring to Nintendo’s new hardware will inevitably be read as a statement about the platform. The studio’s patching, porting, and long-tail support are also a reminder of the production discipline other developers, especially in the wuxia space, still need to build.

For existing players, though, the Tarnished Pack is optional rather than essential. If you already own the base game and the DLC, whether the new armor and features are worth paying for again depends on the final price. New Switch 2 players, by contrast, get the simplest offer: everything in one package. The maintenance only lasts three hours, but the real test is whether this update makes the Lands Between run a little more solidly.