James Bond’s long absence from video games finally ends in March next year as a 30 minute gameplay video is released.
When Bond fans were last handed a controller, it was to replay classics like Goldeneye 007 or endure the last of the Craig-era tie-ins. But now, after over a decade in the shadows, James Bond is back in action—this time in 007 First Light, a bold, cinematic prequel from the makers of Hitman. And we finally have a release date: 27th March 2026.
Unveiled during Sony’s September State of Play showcase, IO Interactive delivered more than just promises, revealing a full 30 minutes of gameplay footage.
The footage opens with a young Bond infiltrating a gala in Kensington, suited and shadowed. Later, he squares off at a chess tournament in Slovakia, where the stakes are clearly higher than checkmate. Each scene offers players a choice: sneak in silently with gadgets and guile, or go in fists first.
More than just a genre exercise, 007 First Light appears to be taking shape as one of IOI’s most ambitious games to date. The studio—best known for their meticulous work on the Hitman series—have made it clear this is no simple rebranding exercise. “This isn’t Agent 47 in a tuxedo,” one developer told GamesRadar. “It’s Bond. Brutal, brilliant, and barely licensed.”
Bond fans watching closely may note the Fleming fingerprints all over the premise. The idea of a newly minted 00-agent—still learning the trade, but deadly when it counts—feels like it belongs beside the early chapters of Casino Royale, when Bond’s blunt-force style had yet to be sanded down. IOI have leaned hard into this, describing a Bond “shaped by the mission” rather than the other way round.
Set across a range of locations and narrative-driven environments, the game trades exoticism for espionage, with emphasis on how players approach each mission. Vehicles, gadgets, disguises—each tool has its time and place. There’s even a dedicated driving team at IOI building missions from the ground up, with chase sequences teased in closed-door previews.
The full game will launch on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X and S, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC. Pre-orders are already open, with a so-called “Legacy Edition” offering physical extras and digital bonuses.
All eyes now turn to whether IOI can deliver a Bond who feels born for the medium, not borrowed from it. Judging by the confident tone of this first showing, Bond fans have reason to watch the horizon. The man with the licence to kill may finally have a licence to thrill again.
Pre-order now
Both the Specialist Edition and Legacy Edition of 007 First Light are available to pre-order from Amazon:
