Hitman Devs Are Giving James Bond A New Origin Story In 007: First Light And It Looks Great

It has been over 10 years since gamers last had the chance to explore the exhilarating world of James Bond, and this new entry in the popular spy franchise is in the hands of an experienced studio. IO Interactive, best known for the Hitman series, is stepping up to deliver its own version of 007’s origin story with a third-person action-adventure romp in 007: First Light.

The developers are going all the way back to Bond’s mid 20s, where he’s getting his feet wet as an air crewman in the Navy. It’s an opportunity to see him before he becomes the smooth secret agent movie goers are familiar with. While it seems as if IO Interactive got a lot of leeway in the kind of story it wants to tell, there was still input from Amazon MGM Studios throughout the development process.


The trailer has Bond punching, shooting, and chucking knives at enemies as he goes about completing his mission. Although there’s plenty of action, there’s still a distinct Hitman feel to everything happening on screen. So it will be interesting to see how well the DNA of Hitman can mesh with all the action taking place. Additionally, the trailer reveals there are driving missions on tap, which isn’t something IO Interactive is well known for and could be a potential stumbling block.


Even if there’s some doubt as to whether the gameplay will come together for a special 007 experience, everything else looks to be on point. It’s oozing with the style fans come to expect from the franchise, with Bond hopping to several exotic locales and looking as fashionable as ever. The series’ iconic music is also being used to full effect and will likely please fans.

007" First Light is scheduled to release sometime in 2026, and will be coming to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S, Nintendo Switch 2 and PC.