Category: Video Games

007: First Light. Project Fantasy. MindsEye. IO Interactive has a lot going on in the coming days, months, and years. But one key franchise of theirs has been conspicuously quiet: Hitman.

It’s not that IOI is doing nothing with Hitman — it did just announce that a co-op mode is in the works for the games and Mads Mikkelsen will reprise his iconic Casino Royale role as an Elusive Target. But as for new Hitman games, the franchise has officially been on hiatus since 2023. Updates aside, it seems like IOI might be getting a touch too busy to give Agent 47 more major work.

So I asked Hakan Abrak, CEO of IO Interactive, if that was the case when we sat down for an interview this past weekend following the reveal of 007: First Light. And he reassured me that Agent 47 was still on active duty.

“The Hitman series is definitely not done,” Abrak said. “We’re not done with Hitman. IO has been synonymous with Hitman, despite the other IPs we have done. We absolutely are proud, grateful, and happy with Hitman. But obviously doing another new IP, Project Fantasy, and doing Bond, it takes a lot of our resources and time. But as you saw, we announced the Hitman co-op, which is a big dream of mine. And they will be maybe in different shapes, but they will definitely be more Hitman in the future.”

My question to Abrak was sparked by our prior discussion of the differences between Agent 47 and James Bond. Though IO Interactive’s espionage pedigree is certainly what led to the studio being trusted with the Bond license [to kill], the two heroes are quite different in practice. Bond leans more toward action, with Agent 47 preferring stealth and disguise. And while Bond certainly has a classy sense of humor, the Hitman games are renowned for being… well, pretty silly! Agent 47 dresses up in a flamingo mascot suit at one point, for Pete’s sake.

So will 007: First Light still have that Hitman flavor? Yes, said Abrak, but it will have a tone all its own.

“It is very, very important to get the humor right. In Denmark, we love dark humor and the silliness because it takes away from the seriousness of being an assassin. Bond is different. Bond, the humor is first of all very British. And the humor there is to support the energy and his personality, which is much more front and center. So I would say less silly. It’s not flamingo disguises, as you said, but still entertaining.”

Abrak continued: “And it’s a game that plays differently. It’s emphasizing more action, for sure. And the structure of Bond is more like it’s breathing more. Like there are more linear parts where you have the spectacle moments and exotic vehicles. And then we also give space in Bond to open up a bit and breathe a bit. So you have definitely glimpses of IO Interactive, as you would know from Hitman games as well, but it’s more front foot. It’s less of an analytical mind, chess play, where you sit and meticulously plan. All the clockwork things in Hitman where if you do this or do this, where Bond is more impulsive, more reckless sometimes. It’s more like he’s just taking things and acting and handling it more as they arise.

“So it’s a different dynamism, because we want to make something that feels true for a Bond fantasy. So it’s definitely not a re-skin of a Hitman kind of thing, but I feel that people will see IO Interactive, that is a game made by Interactive, but they will also see that this game is something else. It’s something that’s true to what we are hopefully going to deliver 360, an ultimate Bond experience.”

We’ll be publishing our full interview with Abrak later this week, including discussion of not just Hitman, but also 007: First Light and upcoming IO Interactive-published game MindsEye.

Rebekah Valentine is a senior reporter for IGN. You can find her posting on BlueSky @duckvalentine.bsky.social. Got a story tip? Send it to rvalentine@ign.com.

Nintendo has hidden a few cool Easter eggs for the GameCube within Switch 2, fans have discovered.

With the launch of Nintendo’s new console, fans can finally play GameCube games using Nintendo Switch Online — but load up a title from the era of Nintendo’s beloved purple brick, and you’ll note that something is missing: the console’s iconic startup animation.

Anyone who owned a GameCube will have the image of the console’s logo unfurling around the screen burned into their memories, as its chirpy soundtrack played. Well, with a simple button press, Nintendo actually allows you to restore this sequence — not that the console ever specifically tells you how.

Credit, then, goes to Spawn Wave for noting that you can prompt the GameCube startup animation by holding the Switch 2’s control stick in any direction while loading the Nintendo Switch Online GameCube app. This will then play the retro console’s startup sequence, just as you remembered it.

Except this isn’t quite as you remembered it — it’s actually polished up in 4K. Yes, this is the shiny new version of the logo that debuted during Nintendo’s Switch 2 Direct earlier this year, when GameCube games were first confirmed for the console.

“Cool, when the stick drift starts you can get it every time,” one fan quipped when learning of the secret.

As tested by IGN, a further version of this Easter egg allows you to replicate the secondary GameCube startup sound, prompted on the original console by holding down its Z button. On Switch 2, you must tilt the control stick and hold down the R button (try doing it just as the ‘2’ on the Switch 2 app logo pops up).

Now, fans are wondering the third GameCube startup sound might also be included, hidden behind an even more secret button combination. This could originally be prompted by the Z button down on four GameCube controllers at once.

Over the weekend, fans plugging in their new wireless GameCube controllers made for use with Nintendo Switch 2 discovered the pads now incorporated gyro controls for the first time, opening up many possibilities for use in various retro games.

Right now, the Switch Online’s Nintendo GameCube – Nintendo Classics collection is looking pretty thin, with just the original version of The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker, plus F-Zero GX and SoulCalibur 2 available.

Still, Nintendo has confirmed a number of other GameCube classics will follow (including Super Mario Sunshine, Fire Emblem: Path of Radiance, Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, Mario Smash Football, Luigi’s Mansion and Chibi-Robo!), though there’s no word yet on when they might materialise.

Tom Phillips is IGN’s News Editor. You can reach Tom at tom_phillips@ign.com or find him on Bluesky @tomphillipseg.bsky.social

Atlus finally revealed at yesterday’s Xbox Game Showcase that yes, a remake of Persona 4 is really happening: Persona 4 Revival. But not everyone liked what they saw in the 40-second trailer.

Some players took issue with the quality of the graphics, coloring, animations, and lighting, while others were frustrated that there were no further details like a release date or a confirmed Nintendo Switch 2 version.

“Man, the graphics looks like stock Unreal lol,” said one player. “Honestly, almost looks fanmade (don’t hit me),” to which another replied: “Highly underwhelming trailer, lol.”

As this remake was one of the worst-kept secrets in gaming, some fans speculated that the teaser was put together simply to acknowledge that yes, it was in development.

“This is a ‘damn, here you go’ ass trailer,” responded this fan, while another said: “Feels like they threw this thing together after the VAs said they weren’t returning. I could imagine they walked over to marketing and asked them to throw together a 30-second clip the same day.”

Following the reveal, P-Studio director Kazuhisa Wada popped up on social media to reassure fans that Atlus is “actively preparing for the future development of the Persona series as a studio.”

“We are very pleased to announce the release of Persona 4 Revival. We look forward to sharing even more information in due time,” Wada wrote. “Persona 4 has spawned numerous spin-off works, including TV anime, Persona 4 Arena, Persona 4 Arena Ultimax, and Persona 4: Dancing All Night, and is a special title that has been a part of Atlus for many years and holds a personal place in my heart.

“We are currently working on this project with all our passion and love. We are confident that this will be a fresh and surprising product for both newcomers and long-time fans and we look forward to sharing it with you all.”

Wada added: “Additionally, we are actively preparing for the future development of the Persona series as a studio. We are working hard to meet the expectations of fans around the world, and our work is progressing well.” Wada then thanked fans for their support and teased that they should “stay tuned” for more updates.

We gave the original Persona 4 a 9/10 back in the day, saying: “A significant improvement over the previous Persona games in many ways, Persona 4 provides a deeper dungeon crawling/social link experience that makes it engaging to play.” An enhanced version, Persona 4 Golden, has since become the best way to enjoy the game on modern consoles, but fans have long lamented that it’s not available on Nintendo Switch, despite years of begging.

Persona 4 Revival, meanwhile, is due out for Xbox, PlayStation 5, and PC, and it will be available day-one on Game Pass. For more, check out everything announced at Xbox Games Showcase June 2025.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.

Rebel Wolves — the studio led by former The Witcher 3 game director and co-director for Cyberpunk 2077, Konrad Tomaszkiewicz — has confirmed its upcoming dark fantasy action-RPG, The Blood of Dawnwalker, will release in 2026.

At yesterday’s Xbox Games Showcase, Rebel Wolves showed off some pre-beta gameplay footage, following Coen, “a young man turned into a Dawnwalker, human by day and vampire by night,” as he comes to grips with his newly acquired abilities.

That’s not all, though. On June 21, we’ll find out even more as Rebel Wolves invites us to join it on the longest day of the year, “where the veil between day and night blurs, bringing unexpected outcomes.” The 45-minute-long event will reveal around 15 minutes of new gameplay content, accompanied by an extended developer commentary.

Interestingly, we’ll also learn more about “several key gameplay features,” including the directional combat system that blends swordfighting, spells, and vampiric powers, as well as how players navigate Vale Sangora’s locations and “further explore the game world and highlight the gameplay differences between day and night, which will have a significant impact on the story and its course.”

“It’s been a pleasure to finally show you more of the game, and I want to thank our community for the incredible support,” Tomaszkiewicz said. “Back in January, when we first revealed the game, we promised to shed more light on the gameplay this summer — and that moment has finally arrived.

“We’d like to invite you to join us on June 21 for our Gameplay Reveal Event. You’ll learn more about the abilities Coen gains as he becomes the Dawnwalker — a mysterious being balancing the line between the world of day and the realm of night.”

In The Blood of Dawnwalker, you play as Coen, a young man who is a being no longer fully human, yet not entirely a vampire. With just 30 days and nights to save Coen’s family or exact bloody revenge on his sire, regardless of the consequences or the cost of Coen’s thirst for blood. But the most important question for players remains: is it worth sacrificing your humanity for the ones you love?

For more, check out everything announced at Xbox Games Showcase June 2025.

Vikki Blake is a reporter for IGN, as well as a critic, columnist, and consultant with 15+ years experience working with some of the world’s biggest gaming sites and publications. She’s also a Guardian, Spartan, Silent Hillian, Legend, and perpetually High Chaos. Find her at BlueSky.