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IO Interactive launches Hitman-style Bond game May 27

5/1/2026

31 2 Full Breakdown

Summary

IO Interactive Launches

IO Interactive will launch 007: First Light on May 27, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The game blends Hitman stealth with a Bond origin narrative from Navy to MI6.
A three-hour preview showed training, a full stealth-combat level and a driving chase.
Reviewers praised luxury visuals and gadgets like the Q Watch but reported audio misalignments affecting stealth.

Summary

Bond Game Launch

The game launches on May 27, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC, with a Nintendo Switch 2 version arriving later that summer.
It follows a Navy crewman shot down near Iceland who is pressed into an MI6 mission, with Patrick Gibson as James Bond and aiming for Fleming’s novel tone.
The opening features Lana Del Rey singing the original theme “First Light,” while the script was rewritten repeatedly to capture James Bond’s iconic traits.

History

Historical Context

After Rare’s 1997 Nintendo 64 release of GoldenEye 007—an $2 million project that sold over eight million copies and introduced console FPS stealth and multiplayer—its design shaped successors such as Perfect Dark and set a template for Bond games. That legacy underpins IO Interactive’s 2026 007: First Light, which blends Hitman-style infiltration with the franchise’s cinematic roots.

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IO Interactive Launches

IO Interactive will launch 007: First Light on May 27, 2026 for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.
The game blends Hitman stealth with a Bond origin narrative from Navy to MI6.
A three-hour preview showed training, a full stealth-combat level and a driving chase.
Reviewers praised luxury visuals and gadgets like the Q Watch but reported audio misalignments affecting stealth.

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