Nintendo is making a major hardware adjustment to the Switch 2 to comply with upcoming European regulations. FromSoftware finally locked in a release date for its highly anticipated portable Elden Ring port. Over in the publishing world, Amazon is flexing its ownership of the James Bond IP to take control of future 007 games.
Nintendo Confirms Switch 2 Model With Replaceable Batteries
Game DeveloperThis Week in Video GamesDigital Foundry
Nintendo is preparing a revised version of the Nintendo Switch 2 for the European market that features an easily replaceable battery . The hardware adjustment ensures the console complies with the European Union's new Right to Repair directive and battery regulations, which take effect in February 2027 . Current Switch 2 models will be updated to meet these environmental standards, allowing users to swap out dead batteries without sending the unit in for repair .
Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Hits Switch 2 This August
Nintendo LifeThis Week in Video GamesIGN
FromSoftware and Bandai Namco have officially set an August 28 release date for the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Elden Ring . Titled the Tarnished Edition, the package bundles the base game with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion and introduces several brand-new items . Players on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, Xbox, and PC will also be able to purchase these new items as a separate DLC pack on the same day . The Switch 2 version was originally slated for 2025 but suffered a delay to allow for performance adjustments .
Amazon Takes Over Publishing for Future James Bond Games
IGNPush SquarePC Gamer
IO Interactive will not self-publish any potential sequels to its critically acclaimed stealth action game 007 First Light . Amazon MGM Studios, which acquired the James Bond IP rights during the game's development, has confirmed it will handle publishing duties for all future 007 video games . An Amazon representative stated that the company maintains a strong relationship with IO Interactive, though they declined to confirm if the Hitman developer will actually return to build the next entry . 007 First Light has already surpassed an estimated two million copies sold just a week after its launch .
Helldivers 2 Adds Roguelite Planet Warfronts Mode
Rock Paper ShotgunPush SquareIGN
Arrowhead Game Studios is introducing a massive structural shift to Helldivers 2 with a new roguelite system called Planet Warfronts . Creative director Johan Pilestedt revealed that the team originally prototyped the mode before the game's launch but held it back until they had enough content to support the format . The upcoming update will also bring new ship customization features as the studio focuses on long-term player retention .
Marvel's Wolverine Drops Open World for Linear Action
Push SquareEurogamer
Insomniac Games is taking a different structural approach for Marvel's Wolverine on PlayStation 5, abandoning the open-world formula of its Spider-Man titles . The upcoming single-player action game will feature a strictly linear, globe-hopping campaign rather than a sandbox city environment . The developer also confirmed that players will not have a central hub or base of operations to explore between missions .
