European consumers considering a Switch 2 purchase can look forward to a revised version of the hybrid console, as Nintendo has announced a region-specific change to the device. The new model will have a removable battery, so that it complies with the EU Batteries Legislation, which was passed back in 2023 by the European Union.

That specific set of regulations will come into full effect on February 18, 2027 (via VGC), and Nintendo has announced that it will comply with it. According to the legislation, consumer products with built-in batteries are legally required to make them removable and replaceable. Nintendo says that products starting with the model number "BEE" will be changed to meet these requirements, and the Switch 2 has a model number of BEE-01. 

This legislation could have an impact on several other Nintendo products, like Switch Joy-Con and Pro controllers, as the batteries in these peripherals aren't easy to remove or replace. Nintendo hasn't mentioned if these console revisions will result in a further price hike for the Switch 2 in Europe--new prices come into effect in September--or if it will roll out to other regions.

So far, Nintendo has moved a lot of Switch 2 consoles across the globe, with 19.82 million units sold as of March 31. June 5 will mark the one-year anniversary of the Switch 2, but for its second year, Nintendo is predicting that it’ll sell fewer consoles due to a wide variety of global factors. Meanwhile, the original Switch has cemented its legacy as Nintendo’s best-selling console of all time with 155.92 million consoles as of March 31.

Nintendo’s Top-Selling Switch 2 Games Of All Time View Images

Prologue: Go Wayback developer PlayerUnknown Productions has announced the end of development on the early access game, as well as a round of layoffs for the studio. founder Brendan "PlayerUnknown" Greene posted a statement online, explaining that the studio could no longer afford to continue working on the game. Greene also added that Prologue: Go Wayback will be made available for free to all future players in an upcoming update, while refunds for anyone who already purchased the early access game are also coming.

"When PlayerUnknown Productions became an independent studio in 2021, we embarked on a journey to achieve an ambitious vision for the future," Greene wrote. "Our goal has been to develop technology that can break the boundaries of scale, which currently limit how large virtual worlds can be. To achieve this, we built a research team to develop our Melba technology and a team to develop our first practical application of our terrain generation technology: Prologue: Go Wayback. Unfortunately, I have reached the limits of how far I can continue to fund this journey in its current form. As a result, I have made the hard decision to restructure the studio."

Greene and the remaining studio employees will continue to develop the Mebla technology, which was used to power Prologue: Go Wayback. Compared to other open-world and survival games, Go Wayback uses a dynamic weather system and machine-learning models to create a unique experience. Set in a 64km² map based on the Czech Bohemia, players are given free rein to explore as they see fit while they move toward a tower in the distance, but they have to manage their thirst, hunger, and body temperature while contending with the elements.

PlayerUnknown Productions is sadly one of several studios impacted by layoffs in the industry. Illinois-based independent developer Iron Galaxy recently announced a new round of layoffs, 124 people lost their jobs at Deus Ex developer Eidos-Montreal, and Fortnite studio Epic Games just recently cut 1,000+ jobs.

The 39 Best Survival Games To Play In 2026 View Images

Hitman developer IO Interactive developed, published, and funded the well-received and top-selling James Bond game 007: First Light, but changes could be afoot for a potential sequel.

IO announced Project 007, a working title for what would become First Light, back in November 2020. At the time, Amazon was not involved in the new game, but the retail and entertainment giant bought MGM in 2021.

Due to this timeline of events, Amazon Games "didn't have the full rights" to First Light, Amazon Games boss Jeff Gattis told Polygon. However, any possible sequels will be "done by MGM, and theoretically, by Amazon Game Studios," he said.

As for when IO reached its deal for a James Bond game, IO CEO Hakan Abrak said in a 2025 interview with GI.biz that his studio had been working on the project for nearly six years already, so that would go back to 2019.

IO has said it has plans for a trilogy of James Bond games, and First Light wraps up its campaign with a tease for the next story.

Given the positive critical reception to First Light, fans would no doubt want to see IO come back for a sequel. What Gattis is saying does not rule that out, only that Amazon will take a bigger role in any future releases. This only makes sense given Amazon now owns the rights to the franchise and dictates where it goes and who works on it. That. being said, Gattis' comments are spooking fans right now due in part to Amazon's mixed track record in the development space.

Gattis said he sees a "continued integration" of movies and video games, saying it's a "real opportunity" for Amazon to make both video content and games to help with synergy. Beyond Bond, Gattis cited the Tomb Raider franchise as an example, pointing to the upcoming Tomb Raider TV show and the new game, Tomb Raider: Catalyst--these will both be published by Amazon. Crystal Dynamics is developing the new Tomb Raider game, and Embracer owns the IP.

First Light was reportedly the most expensive entertainment product ever developed in Denmark, which is where IO is based. The budget was reportedly $200 million, but there is no confirmation of that figure. In any event, Abrak previously said IO funded First Light entirely itself due in part to the smashing success of Hitman: World of Assassination and all the money it brought in.

"James Bond is fully funded by us. We are completely independent," he said.

While Amazon did not publish First Light, the company conducted efforts to promote it, including with front-page takeover ads on Amazon's mobile app.

Beyond a possible First Light sequel, IO is confirmed to be working on a multiplayer fantasy game that is funded in part by mysterious and unannounced partners. Additionally, IO has pledged to return to the Hitman series one day.

Sure, Summer Game Fest is fine, right? Yeah, there are a bunch of cool game reveals and fine, the production value is off the charts. But haven't you ever wondered if there was a cuter way to watch the reveals?

It turns out there is now, as VTuber agency Hololive Production has joined the official co-streamers list for Summer Game Fest. Seven talents from across the English and Indonesian branches of Hololive will all be co-streaming the event and providing their own commentary.

From the English contingent, Mori Calliope, Shiori Novella, and Koseki Bijou will be giving their live reactions to all of the reveals. On the Indonesian side, Ayunda Risu, Airani Iofifteen, Anya Melfissa, and Vestia Zeta will be tuning in.

https://youtu.be/fpFfBcW5TL0

Streamers of any size can sign up to co-stream the event, but verified co-streamers will get official Summer Game Fest images and assets to use as overlays on their streams. However, this marks the first time that a VTuber agency has been announced as a co-streaming partner on the official Summer Game Fest channels.

Summer Game Fest's flagship event will be hosted by Geoff Keighley and Lucy James from Hollywood's Dolby Theatre on Friday, June 5 at 2 PM PT / 7 PM ET / 10 PM BST. Watch it on the official GameSpot Twitch or YouTube channels, or you can tune in on the Summer Game Fest YouTube, Twitch, or via any co-streamer's channel.

While Galactic Racer is set to bring back Star Wars to the racing genre later this year, there is another game set in the galaxy far, far away that's even closer to releasing. Star Wars Zero Company, the X-COM-like strategy game, will reportedly launch as early as August.

Star Wars Zero Company was revealed last year during Star Wars Celebration, and described as a single-player turn-based strategy title from both Bit Reactor and Respawn Entertainment. A gameplay trailer is set to debut during Summer Game Fest later this week, which will likely confirm the release date. But ahead of that reveal, Dealabs writer and reliable leaker billbil-kun has reported that the game will launch on PC, Xbox Series X|S, and PS5 on August 27.

The game will reportedly launch at different prices across PC and console. The standard edition will cost $50 on PC, with console players expected to pay $60 instead. That same $10 premium will seemingly carry over to the game's Digital Deluxe edition, which will cost $60 and $70 on PC and console respectively. Billbil-kun wasn't able to detail what the Deluxe Edition will include, but did confirm that early access to the title is not planned.

Star Wars Zero Company is set during the Clone Wars, taking place between Episode II and III. It is described as a gritty story that follows the exploits of an elite squad of characters, led by a former Republic officer named Hawks. This will be the first Star Wars strategy title in over two decades, with the last, Empire at War, launching in 2006.