▶ Watch the original YouTube video
How ELDEN RING’s Difficulty Will Challenge Nintendo Switch 2’s New Players
A YouTube video comment suggesting that “new players coming to ELDEN RING from Switch 2 will be confused” has sparked industry-wide debate about game difficulty, accessibility, and FromSoftware’s design philosophy. This raises critical questions about whether the gaming industry’s newest console can bridge the gap between casual Nintendo audiences and punishing action RPGs.
What Happened
A viral YouTube comment has reignited debate within the gaming community about ELDEN RING’s accessibility for newcomers, particularly those starting on Nintendo Switch 2. The comment, “New players from Switch 2 will also be confused,” reflects growing concerns that FromSoftware’s acclaimed action RPG may alienate the casual gaming audience that typically gravitates toward Nintendo platforms.
This discussion has expanded across multiple platforms, including Twitter, Reddit, and 5channel, with players and industry observers weighing in on whether ELDEN RING’s notoriously high difficulty represents a barrier or a feature for new console owners.
Why It Matters
The Switch 2’s launch represents a critical moment for the gaming industry. Nintendo’s user base has historically consisted primarily of casual and family-oriented gamers who expect accessible, forgiving game design. ELDEN RING, by contrast, deliberately rejects accessibility features and maintains punishing difficulty as a core design principle.
How ELDEN RING performs on Switch 2 will signal whether the industry’s recent trend toward “difficulty as value” can transcend platform boundaries. It will also test whether FromSoftware’s philosophy—that intentional challenge creates meaningful achievement—resonates with Nintendo’s traditionally casual audience or alienates them entirely.
This conflict touches on a fundamental question: should games be designed for universal accessibility, or is exclusionary difficulty a legitimate artistic choice?
Background
ELDEN RING launched in March 2022 to critical and commercial acclaim, selling over 21 million copies by 2024—more than double the sales of Dark Souls 3. The game’s success challenged the long-held industry assumption that “difficult games don’t sell.”
FromSoftware director Hidetaka Miyazaki has consistently stated that the game’s difficulty is intentional, designed to give players the experience of overcoming challenges through their own effort. The studio has resisted adding difficulty adjustment features, viewing them as compromising the core design philosophy.
Nintendo Switch 2, the successor to the wildly successful Switch, is expected to attract a new wave of players, many of whom will have limited experience with demanding action games. The platform’s traditional library—Super Mario, The Legend of Zelda, Animal Crossing—emphasizes accessibility and forgiving design.
Key Points
- Difficulty Disparity: ELDEN RING requires 120-150 hours for new players to complete, with initial bosses causing 25-30 deaths on average. This contrasts sharply with Nintendo’s typical offerings, which average 15-20 hours and minimal deaths.
- No Accessibility Features: Unlike most modern games, ELDEN RING offers no difficulty settings, assist modes, or adjustable challenge parameters—a deliberate design choice by FromSoftware.
- Psychological Barriers: Research indicates that when new players die 10+ times to early bosses, approximately 40% abandon the game, believing it “isn’t for them.”
- Platform Culture Clash: Nintendo Switch users are accustomed to games that reward exploration and offer alternative solutions to problems. ELDEN RING often demands mastery of specific combat patterns.
- Multiplayer as Mitigation: ELDEN RING’s cooperative play features can help new players progress, but using them requires understanding complex in-game systems unfamiliar to casual gamers.
- Industry Shift: ELDEN RING’s success has normalized the idea that high difficulty can be a selling point rather than a barrier, influencing industry perception of game design priorities.
Comparative Analysis: ELDEN RING vs. Nintendo Standards
| Game Title | Platform | Average Completion Time | Initial Boss Deaths (Average) | Difficulty Adjustment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ELDEN RING | PS5/PC/Xbox | 120-150 hours | 25-30 | None |
| Dark Souls 3 | PS4/PC | 80-100 hours | 18-20 | None |
| The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild | Switch | 60-80 hours | 3-5 | Yes (heart adjustment) |
| Super Mario Odyssey | Switch | 15-20 hours | 0-1 | Yes (assist mode) |
| Hades | Switch/PC | 30-50 hours | 10-15 per boss | Yes (difficulty selection) |
This comparison reveals a stark contrast: ELDEN RING is fundamentally misaligned with Switch platform conventions. Nintendo games typically feature graduated difficulty curves and built-in assistance options. ELDEN RING offers neither.
FromSoftware’s Design Philosophy
At a 2023 game developer conference, FromSoftware developers explained their approach: difficulty settings would undermine the core experience of overcoming personal limitations. They view challenge not as a barrier but as the essential mechanism through which meaningful achievement occurs.
This philosophy directly contradicts the industry standard of “new player first” design. However, ELDEN RING’s commercial success has validated this approach for a significant audience segment—one that values difficulty as a measure of authenticity and accomplishment.
The question for Switch 2 is whether this philosophy extends beyond the core gaming audience that already embraces FromSoftware’s work.
Switch 2’s New Player Profile
Players entering ELDEN RING from Switch 2 will likely exhibit distinct characteristics:
- Limited experience with demanding action games
- Ages 15-25, representing a younger demographic
- Low tolerance for repeated failure, viewing deaths as personal failure rather than learning opportunities
- High likelihood of consulting YouTube guides after initial difficulty
- Comfort with online multiplayer and community features
Analysis suggests the most probable scenario: initial purchases followed by rapid abandonment. New players will likely die 10 times to early bosses, search for guides online, rely on walkthrough information, lose the sense of personal discovery, and ultimately stop playing.
This pattern would create a paradox: strong initial sales coupled with high abandonment rates—a contradiction that may pressure FromSoftware to reconsider its accessibility stance.
Practical Recommendations for New Players
For those planning to start ELDEN RING on Switch 2, a staged approach is recommended:
- The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom (40-50 hours): Moderate difficulty with multiple solution paths. Teaches trial-and-error thinking without overwhelming punishment.
- Hollow Knight (30-40 hours): A challenging metroidvania that introduces players to the concept of repeated failure as normal progression.
- Hades (30-50 hours): A roguelike with adjustable difficulty that demonstrates how challenging games can remain engaging across multiple attempts.
- ELDEN RING (120-200 hours): After building tolerance for difficulty through the above titles, ELDEN RING becomes more approachable.
Additional guidance for ELDEN RING players:
- Minimize guide usage: Treat online walkthroughs as a last resort. Self-discovery is central to the experience.
- Embrace multiplayer: Using cooperative features is not “cheating”—it’s a legitimate game mechanic designed for exactly this purpose.
- Ignore speed-run comparisons: YouTube videos showing rapid completion times should not dictate your pace. Extended playtime is normal and valuable.
- Reframe failure: Spending 20 hours on a single boss is not failure; it’s deep learning of attack patterns and strategy.
Community Response and Debate
Online reactions to the original comment have split into distinct camps:
Supportive: “ELDEN RING’s difficulty is its value. New players should embrace the challenge.” This perspective reflects the growing belief that high difficulty correlates with game quality.
Critical: “Games should be accessible to everyone. Refusing difficulty options is developer arrogance.” This view maintains that games are universal media requiring inclusive design.
Pragmatic: “Let’s create community guides to help new Switch 2 players.” 5channel and Reddit communities are already developing beginner-focused resources, suggesting the gaming community recognizes an unmet need.
The underlying debate reflects a fundamental tension: Is gaming a medium for universal entertainment, or is exclusionary difficulty a legitimate artistic statement?
Market Predictions and Industry Impact
The most likely scenario is “bifurcation.” ELDEN RING will see strong initial Switch 2 sales driven by curiosity and marketing, followed by rapid decline as new players encounter difficulty walls. Simultaneously, experienced players and existing ELDEN RING fans will purchase the Switch 2 version, creating a paradox of high sales and high abandonment.
This outcome may pressure FromSoftware to enhance tutorials or adjust early-game difficulty without formally adding difficulty settings—a compromise that maintains design philosophy while acknowledging market realities.
Broader implications: If ELDEN RING underperforms on Switch 2, the industry will conclude that Nintendo’s audience remains primarily casual, and “difficulty as value” has platform limits. If it succeeds, the gaming industry may accelerate its shift toward embracing challenge as a core selling point.
Insights and Conclusion
The ELDEN RING on Switch 2 scenario encapsulates a pivotal moment for gaming. For over a decade, industry consensus held that accessibility drives sales. ELDEN RING shattered that assumption, proving that a significant audience values challenge as authenticity.
However, this success occurred primarily within existing gaming communities. Switch 2 will test whether this philosophy extends to casual audiences—a fundamentally different market segment with different expectations and tolerance thresholds.
The outcome will likely be mixed. Some new players will discover that ELDEN RING’s difficulty creates genuine achievement. Many others will conclude the game “isn’t for them”—a conclusion that reflects game design choices, not personal failure.
Ultimately, the question isn’t whether new Switch 2 players will be confused by ELDEN RING. They will. The real question is whether that confusion represents a barrier to overcome or a signal that the game’s design philosophy simply doesn’t align with their expectations—and whether the industry views that misalignment as a problem requiring solutions or a legitimate consequence of artistic choice.
For prospective players: approach ELDEN RING on your own terms, at your own pace, without comparing your experience to others. The game’s value lies not in speed of completion but in the personal journey of overcoming self-imposed limitations.
