007 First Light

An origin story for James Bond earning his 00 status.

007 First Light is an action-adventure game from 2026, created and published by IO Interactive. It is based on the James Bond franchise and presents an original story inspired by Ian Fleming's novels and short stories, as well as the film series. The game follows Bond's origin story, showing how he works toward earning his 00 status.

After 007 Legends (2012) failed critically and commercially, Activision lost its non-exclusive license to make James Bond games, leading to a long break in video game adaptations. IO Interactive announced they were working on a Bond game in November 2020. Full development began after they finished Hitman 3 (2021), and the game was fully revealed in June 2025.

The game came out for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on 27 May 2026. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is planned for March 2027. Critics gave it generally positive reviews, praising the gameplay, combat, writing, and Patrick Gibson's performance as Bond. By August 2026, it had sold 4 million copies.

**Gameplay**

Players control James Bond as he trains and carries out missions to become a full MI6 agent. The game uses a third-person perspective, with occasional quick-time events and cutscenes. Players can choose to complete missions aggressively by fighting enemies, or by using bluffs and environmental items to sneak past them or talk their way out of trouble. Bond can parry attacks and perform takedowns to neutralize enemies. He is usually limited to non-lethal combat, but when enemies show intent to kill him, he receives a "licence to kill" that allows lethal force, including firearms.

The game includes an Omega Seamaster chronograph watch designed specifically for it, along with the Aston Martin Valhalla sports car. Q's lab supplies Bond's mission attire, weapons, equipment, and vehicles. Bond's main tool is the Q Watch, a modified Omega Seamaster Diver 300M that can hack electronics, and he can bring other gadgets on missions.

**Story**

*Setting and characters*

The story is an original narrative inspired by Ian Fleming's works and the film franchise. It is an origin story following a young James Bond (Patrick Gibson), a 26-year-old inexperienced MI6 agent on a mission that, if successful, will earn him his 00 status.

Developer: IO Interactive
Publisher: IO Interactive
Release date: 27 May 2026
Platforms: PlayStation 5, Windows, Xbox Series X/S
Sales: 4 million units by August 2026
Lead actor: Patrick Gibson as James Bond

Lore & Background

007 First Light is played from a third-person perspective with occasional quick-time events and cutscenes. Players control James Bond as he goes through training and executes missions to become a fully-fledged MI6 agent. Players may choose to complete missions aggressively, fighting enemies, or by using bluffs and environmental items to slip past enemies and talk their way out of trouble. Bond can parry opponents' attacks and perform takedowns. While Bond is usually restricted to non-lethal means, he may be granted a 'licence to kill' when enemies show intent to kill him, permitting lethal force including firearms. The game features an Omega Seamaster chronograph watch specially designed for the game, alongside the Aston Martin Valhalla sports car. Q's lab supplies Bond's mission attire, weapons, equipment and vehicles; Bond's main tool is the Q Watch, a modified Omega Seamaster Diver 300M that can hack electronics.

The story follows a young James Bond (Patrick Gibson), a 26-year-old inexperienced MI6 agent. The game features new iterations of Bond characters such as M (Priyanga Burford), Q (Alastair Mackenzie), and Miss Moneypenny (Kiera Lester), re-imagined to reflect their roles in shaping Bond's early career. Original characters include Bond's reluctant MI6 mentor John Greenway (Lennie James), thief Isola Vale (Noémie Nakai), psychology expert Selina Tan (Gemma Chan), arms dealer Bawma (Lenny Kravitz), training colleagues Cressida Bright (Jessica Rhodes) and Lennox Monroe (Chris O'Reilly), and villains Sir Nicholas Webb (Anthony Howell), his son Damien (Bart Edwards), and the Murto Twins (Anssi Lindström). The plot involves Bond surviving an ambush in Iceland, joining the 00 program, and uncovering a conspiracy involving a quantum supercomputer called THEIA used by MI6 to predict terrorist threats.

Reader's Guide

007 First Light is significant as the first major James Bond game following a hiatus caused by the failure of 007 Legends (2012) and the revocation of Activision's non-exclusive licence. IO Interactive, known for the Hitman series, met with Eon Productions during the development of Hitman 3 (2021) to pitch their vision. According to company president Hakan Abrak, the studio believed Eon was not looking for a game due to dissatisfaction with the action-oriented style of previous console Bond games. Chief creative officer Christian Elverdam stated that moving away from relying on weapons to complete missions was integral to the pitch, citing Hitman's discouragement of violent solutions as an example that convinced Eon. The game received generally positive reviews from critics, with praise given to the gameplay, combat, writing, and Patrick Gibson's performance as Bond. It sold 4 million units by August 2026. A Nintendo Switch 2 version is scheduled for March 2027.