IO Interactive CEO confirms 007 First Light is running on Nintendo Switch 2 and targeting late summer release

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IO Interactive CEO Hakan Abrak has reaffirmed that 007 First Light is coming to Nintendo Switch 2 in 2026, pushing back against comparisons to the indefinitely delayed Borderlands 4 Switch 2 port and providing the most direct update on the platform's status since the delay was announced last month. Speaking with The Game Business, Abrak confirmed the game is already running on Switch 2 hardware and that the team is taking additional time to ensure the port meets quality standards rather than rushing it out. His framing was notably personal: he said he did not want to hear the Switch 2 version was not good, and that being CEO gives him significant ability to make sure it reaches the quality level the team is aiming for. The original plan had 007 First Light launching simultaneously across PS5, PC, Xbox Series X/S, and Switch 2 on May 27, before the Switch 2 version was delayed to summer 2026. Abrak indicated the timeline has shifted again to late summer, pointing toward an August or September window.The main game launches May 27 on PS5, PC, and Xbox Series X/S as an origin story following a 26-year-old James Bond earning his 00 status for the first time, blending Hitman-style social stealth mechanics with Uncharted-influenced action set pieces.

The Nintendo Switch 2 launch window of late summer gives the port a relatively clear competitive landscape on that platform, with Metal Gear Solid Master Collection Vol. 2 on August 27 currently the only major confirmed Switch 2 release for that period. For Switch 2 owners who have been concerned that the port might be indefinitely delayed or quietly cancelled following the Borderlands 4 situation, Abrak's commitment and the confirmation that the game is already running on the hardware provide meaningful reassurance that the version is a genuine work in progress rather than an abandoned promise.

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CEO said he personally does not want to hear the Switch 2 version is bad, that is one way to set internal quality standards

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Origin story framing with a 26-year-old Bond earning 00 status gives IO Interactive creative distance from the Hitman formula while using the same core design language.