007 : First Light – IO Interactive’s First James Bond Game in 14 Years

IO Interactive announced that 007 : First Light will launch on 27 May 2026 for PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and later for Nintendo Switch 2. The game follows a 26-year-old James Bond, portrayed by Patrick Gibson, as a Royal Navy aircrewman whose helicopter is shot down over Iceland. After surviving a hostile base, he is recruited by MI6, undergoes training, and undertakes a mission to stop rogue agent 009, earning his “00” designation.

IO Interactive tease post-launch plans for 007 First Light

IO Interactive, the long-time creator of the Hitman series, secured the Bond licence in 2020 and spent years adapting its sandbox-stealth DNA to a spy narrative. The studio’s previous “Hitman: World of Assassination” trilogy demonstrated a mastery of level-design and AI, which the team repurposed for Bond’s blend of social stealth, gadgetry and close-quarters combat.

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• Rasmus Poulsen – Art Director, responsible for “analysing the DNA of the character” and defining Bond’s visual aesthetic.

Why 007 First Light's Bond Might Be The Best One

• Tom Marcham – Senior Combat Designer, oversaw the melee system and the “License to Kill” mechanic.

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• Laurine Deschamps – Global Brand Manager, coordinated the integration of stealth and combat.

007 First Light Dev Breaks From Hitman DNA — Getting Spotted Won’t End Your Run, Stealth Snaps Back After Combat

• Dominic Vega – Missions & Audio Director, highlighted Gibson’s performance.

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• Supporting cast includes Priyanga Burford (M), Alastair Mackenzie (Q), Kiera Lester (Moneypenny), Lennie James (John Greenway) and Lenny Kravitz (villain Bawma).

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The game combines Hitman-style sandbox levels with Uncharted-like set-pieces. Players can:

Tom's Guide

• Use Instinct to bluff guards, depleting a resource for dialogue-based distractions.

The Guardian

• Deploy Q-Lens and other gadgets (chemical darts, hack devices, “throw” mechanic referencing *Thunderball*) to manipulate environments.

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• Engage in close combat that “is not a failure state” but a core part of Bond’s toolkit, with enemy AI that avoids shooting allies.

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• Activate a “License to Kill” only when enemies intend lethal force, limiting gunplay.

007 First Light Brings the Class, Gadgets, Action, Martinis Worthy of the Bond Title

• Replay missions in TacSim mode, unlocking cosmetics and higher challenges.

007 First Light Dev Breaks From Hitman DNA — Getting Spotted Won’t End Your Run, Stealth Snaps Back After Combat

Confirmed locations span Iceland, London, Tokyo, Dubai, Monaco, Kensington, Slovakia, among others.

All Features Confirmed for 007 First Light So Far

IO Interactive emphasized player freedom, stating that the studio designed “stealth and combat to flow naturally into each other” and that “we trust players to pick the style they’ll have the most fun with.” Poulsen explained that the team was “obsessed with analysing the DNA of the character” to deliver a Bond who feels both “an outsider and someone who belongs.” Vega praised Gibson, noting he “has filled the shoes of James Bond spectacularly.”

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Reviewers identified several issues: CNET reported “misaligned footstep and voice audio” that could mislead players; Tom’s Guide noted “odd moments of loud, brutal combat” that break cinematic flow; ComicBook highlighted the limited gadget resource system and the inability to move bodies after takedowns; MonsterVine described the opening level as “overly linear,” though it creates strong set-piece moments.

007 First Light Brings the Class, Gadgets, Action, Martinis Worthy of the Bond Title

Sources differ on the exact list of confirmed locations—some mention Monaco while others list Monoco—and on the Switch 2 launch timing, with a few indicating a summer delay. No further details on post-launch narrative content have been disclosed.

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• “We didn't want the game to just be guns. We needed close combat, and it needed to be an important part of the game,” — Tom Marcham, Senior Combat Designer

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• “If you're in a messy fist fight with someone, they're not going just come in and shoot the other guard, right?” — Tom Marcham

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• “We’re truly happy for you to pick whatever [style] you want,” — Tom Marcham

The Guardian

• “He’s a man of action, he’s front-footed, he has an unfathomable sense of justice, and he's a charmer.” — Rasmus Poulsen, Art Director

Why 007 First Light's Bond Might Be The Best One

• “He has filled the shoes of James Bond spectacularly,” — Dominic Vega, Missions & Audio Director

Radio Times

IO Interactive confirmed a “TacSim” replay mode and promised ongoing updates, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version slated for summer 2026. The studio hinted at potential sequels, positioning *First Light* as “the beginning” of a new Bond franchise in interactive media.

Radio Times