Project 007 has has a shiny new title: 007 First Light, and a 2026 release window. Plus, IO Interactive have shown off plenty of gameplay, even if that's through very quick snippets. It's still enough to give us a much stronger sense of what this Bond origin story actually is, and where the Hitman developer seems to be taking it.
IO Interactive has also revealed that they will be hosting a more in-depth showcase during the Summer Game Fest 2025 schedule, where we'll learn even more about 007 First Light. The story is set outside of established canon, dialling back the clock to show the MI6 agent in, well, a different light compared to the movies and books. Here, it centers on a young fresh-faced James Bond out of the Navy as he attempts to prove himself to the agency as a 00 candidate. All while dealing with an agent gone rogue, and getting to grips with an arsenal of spy gadgets and very luxurious vintage cars.
The gameplay we've seen so far looks incredible, and we're excited that the studio behind some of the best stealth games of all-time with Hitman is having a go at our favorite super spy. James Bond is an institution for a reason too (check out any one of the best Bond movies for a reminder of why). It's an exciting combination. Though worry not, Bond isn't all stealth as there appear to be some pulse-pounding set pieces as well.
Even with 007 First Light potentially a year or more away, we're here to let you know everything there is to know about the exciting new James Bond adventure. Prepare to sip a martini (shaken, obviously), and take in all the latest Project 007 news and updates.
What is 007 First Light?
Project 007 (now called 007 First Light) will be a brand new stealth-action game from the genre masters at IO Interactive – the studio behind the beloved Hitman franchise.
We should keep in mind that "Project 007" was always the working title for this new Bond game. But while the title has now changed, we know that the game's DNA likely won't. The studio has described the upcoming games as "Featuring a wholly original Bond story, players will step into the shoes of the world's favorite Secret Agent to earn their 00 status in the very first James Bond origin story." It includes the developer's talents for stealth shown in Hitman, of course, but dials up the action as well to deliver a classic rip-roaring Bond adventure.
Project 007 platforms
007 First Light looks set to arrive on all major platforms, with confirmation it'll be arriving on PS5, Xbox Series X, Nintendo Switch 2, and PC across both Steam and Epic. Those with an IOI account will also be able to unlock a bonus outfit and weapon skin too, so consider signing up if you haven't already for Hitman.
007 First Light story
IO Interactive's take on James Bond distances itself from the movies in one key way – it's an origin story for the super spy centering on a young Bond. The story itself sees him earning his stripes, or, well, numbers. Orphaned when his parents save his life in a mountain climbing accident when he was 11, he managed to persevere to survive the climb down. Throughout multiple boarding schools and the Navy he always butted heads with authority, yet his superiors "praised his instincts". Sound familiar?
When something happens in Iceland during his Navy career, it puts him on the radar for MI6 though the superiors there don't know whether they should take a risk on him or not. He's given the chance, however, meaning he'll be on a mission to prove himself as part of the 00 programme. He's a young Bond here, but make no mistake, he's not a child like in those spin-off novels that are actually called 'Young Bond'. He's just a fresh-faced spy ready for some action.
009 is described as a "master manipulator" in the trailer, so the plot may revolve around a rogue agent, perhaps nodding towards the role of 006 in GoldenEye. Other than that, we've seen that Bond will travel to many colorful locations, similar to IO Interactive's Hitman series, and will encounter many similar beats to most Bond movies, including a super villain trap above a bunch of crocodiles.
Project 007 gameplay
We've only received a glimpse of 007 First Light gameplay from IO Interactive, via a truly thrilling introductory trailer at the recent PlayStation State of Play. The easy answer to what you'll be doing in 007 First Light from a gameplay perspective is just about anything you can imagine Bond doing in a movie.
This version of James Bond may be young, as the story sees him earning his iconic numerals, but he still has all the spy tricks you've come to know from the movies. There's gunplay, hand-to-hand combat, and gadgets aplenty. Expect oodles of stealth too considering the developers made Hitman after all, with Bond able to sneak through dangerous areas and use some kind of spy scanner, pickpocket guards, and take them out quietly.
Another sequence has him on a cat-and-mouse hunt through a nightclub that visually feels very Hitman 3. And yes, there will be car chases, and at least one cutscenes shows the young Bond dangling above some deadly crocs. Ah, villains. Emphasis is being placed on the options for players to go in loud or quiet as they please.
The studio's CEO, Hakan Abran, says that IO is building "the ultimate spycraft fantasy." It's expected that Project 007 will build on the incredible work the studio has done around its Hitman: World of Assassination trilogy, with chief development officer Veronique Lallier telling GamesRadar+ that working on James Bond is "so close to our DNA that it just feels seamless."
We know that IO is drawing in a lot of industry talent to get this new James Bond game off the ground, including a The Division and Avatar: Frontiers of Pandora lead to help "design the most amazing Bond missions." Lallier adds: "If you look at what we've done in the past with Hitman, 007 feels organic. For us because we've done, you know, stories about agents doing things. So that makes complete sense. That just feels like, this is normal and natural, you know, it's part of our DNA to create an amazing story about action."
007 First Light's release date is coming 2026
007 First Light's release date was recently revealed to be 2026, meaning we won't be waiting as long as we first feared. Or, like Bond earning his '00' status, it won't be long until the start of 007 First Light, but that first release date is just the start of the advenutr.
"This is just the beginning of our journey with 007," Hakan Abrak, CEO & co-owner of IO Interactive confirmed during the announcement. It fits with what we've seen from the studio before, as the live tail on Hitman 3 and Hitman: World of Assassination was incredibly important for that game. It seems we may see more like this from 007 First Light. The good news is, it won't be long at all until we can earn the numerals for ourselves.
Project 007 trailer
The proper reveal at the PlayStation State of Play gives us a nice introduction to 007 First Light's story and its gameplay, but leaves us hungry for more. Beginning with an introduction to James Bond's background as an orphan and how he came to be recruited to the 00 programme where he must earn his codename, it then shows him on a globetrotting adventure across numerous locations. Mixing together quiet and loud moments, there's sneaky stealth through guarded locations, and thrilling set pieces.
Project 007 story: Which Bond are we playing as?
No, this young version of James Bond isn't based on an actual actor who has portrayed 007 on screen. CEO and co-owner of developer IO Interactive, Hakan Abrak, spoke with Danish Broadcasting Corporation about their unique take on the Bond we'll be playing as in 007 First Light. Instead of being based on any of the actors who have played the role through the years, Abrak revealed the team has instead made their own "digital Bond": "we have been allowed to make our own digital Bond, which will not lean on a Bond actor."
In an interview with IGN back in April, Abrak also revealed that Project 007 will draw inspiration from the entire Bond franchise to deliver an original story: "Every Bond kind of defines a generation and it's amazing how they keep reinventing themselves over so many years. So, we're not only inspired by one movie, or games and whatnot. We're inspired by the whole thing, and just sucking things into us to make an original Bond, an original story, but that is absolutely true and recognizable in the values there is in Bond."
Here are some of the best action games to loot and shoot your way through while we wait for 007's next outing.
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