Elden Ring Switch 2 Date, God of War Laufey Details, Steam Machine

The Nintendo Switch 2 celebrates its first anniversary today, and the industry is marking the occasion with a massive wave of announcements ahead of Summer Game Fest. From highly anticipated hardware revivals to major shifts in console strategy, the summer news cycle is officially in full swing.

Elden Ring Tarnished Edition Hits Switch 2 This August

EurogamerThis Week in Video GamesPC Gamer FromSoftware and Bandai Namco Entertainment have officially set an August 28 release date for the Nintendo Switch 2 port of Elden Ring . Titled the Tarnished Edition, this new version bundles the massive base game together with the Shadow of the Erdtree expansion . The release will also introduce new classes, armor, and items to the action RPG .

Existing players on PlayStation 5, PlayStation 4, and Xbox won't be left out of the new content. The fresh items and features included in the Switch 2 release will be available on other platforms as a paid DLC bundle, dubbed the Tarnished DLC Pack, launching on the exact same day .

God of War Laufey Spin-Off Nears PlayStation 5 Release

Push SquarePush SquareIGN Santa Monica Studio's newly revealed God of War Laufey is much closer to launch than its recent State of Play debut suggested. While the 20-minute gameplay reveal of the Faye-led spin-off lacked a firm release window, Bloomberg reporter Jason Schreier confirmed the PlayStation 5 exclusive is not years away from completion . The title quickly dominated post-show discussions, being voted the best PS5 game of the broadcast by fans .

The shift in protagonist does not mean the end of the franchise's iconic Spartan. Following the reveal, the developer reassured fans that Kratos remains the figurehead of the series, promising many more stories to tell with the character in the future .

Xbox CEO Asha Sharma Clarifies Console Exclusivity Strategy

EurogamerVGCPure Xbox Microsoft is continuing to reevaluate its approach to first-party software, with Xbox CEO Asha Sharma stating that the platform must retain exclusive content and services to survive. Speaking at Bloomberg Tech Live, Sharma acknowledged the tension between reaching large audiences as a third-party publisher and giving players a reason to buy Xbox hardware . She noted that the business is currently resetting its strategy for the next 100 days with the goal of becoming the top gaming and entertainment company by 2030 .

Sharma also addressed concerns regarding the price of Microsoft's upcoming next-generation console, currently codenamed Project Helix. She admitted the hardware will be expensive if the company fails to innovate, suggesting the engineering team is actively working on new technologies to keep the retail price manageable for consumers .

Valve Confirms Summer Launch For Steam Machine And Frame

The VergeThis Week in Video Games Valve is officially re-entering the living room hardware market this summer with the launch of the Steam Machine PC and the Steam Frame VR headset. In a developer update detailing its new verification programs, the company confirmed both delayed devices will ship before September . The hardware was originally announced late last year alongside a new iteration of the Steam Controller, but missed its initial shipping targets .

Amazon Takes Control Of Future James Bond Video Games

Push SquarePC GamerEurogamer Amazon Game Studios has stepped in to publish any future sequels to IO Interactive's critically acclaimed 007 First Light, following Amazon's acquisition of the James Bond IP rights. The sudden shift caused widespread confusion among fans regarding IO Interactive's ongoing involvement with the franchise . Amazon issued a statement clarifying that it maintains a great relationship with the developer, though the publisher declined to commit to bringing the studio back for future unannounced projects .