5 reasons why “007 First Light” could be the best Bond game of all time

Swedish MovieZine has spoken to the developers behind the "Hitman" series and the upcoming Bond game "007 First Light", about what we can expect from their take on the iconic spy.

“007 First Light” is a new Bond game by IO Interactive, known for its “Hitman” series. The game is in development for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, PC and Nintendo Switch 2 – and will be released sometime in 2026.

Here we meet a young and inexperienced James Bond who is recruited by MI6 and gets to carry out his first missions.

MovieZine has spoken to Jonathan Lacaille, who is the franchise director for the game at IO Interactive.

1. The developers really know the brand

What are the most important elements that a Bond story needs?

– When we started working on the game, we obviously looked at what makes a good Bond story. There are some elements that are found in all the films, which we took inspiration from to cook up the game’s recipe.

– Exoticism, vehicles and gadgets are some things that always appear in a spy story. Another element is interesting and preferably double-sided characters. Villains and henchmen are also very important. I don't think there's a Bond film without them.

– Then of course James Bond is at the center. We've seen different vintages, but I would say that the common thread through all Bond products is that they have always felt modern. Sean Connery was cutting edge for his time when the first film premiered both in terms of culturally, what products he used for the story and the themes they created. It was modern for his time, just like Daniel Craig was for our and now also Bond in the game.

So the game takes place in the present?

– Yes, or in the very near future, but I can't say an exact year. That's because it feels relevant within the time period we're releasing the game.

2. IO Interactive has already made fantastic spy games with the "Hitman" series

When the game "Hitman 3" by IO Interactive was released in 2021, I wrote in my review that it "makes me feel like James Bond".

I'm not alone in that opinion, says Jonathan Lacaille, who says the team has leveraged its strengths from that series during the development of "007 First Light."

"We're leaning on what the studio does really well and have mastered the agent genre in the work on "Hitman" for a long time. It would be foolish not to lean on what we do best," he says.

James Bond and “Hitman” are very different series, however. They have their similarities, but they are different characters who work in different ways. IO Interactive therefore needed to build some new muscles.

– The action sequences and shooting are something we needed to get much better at. In the “Hitman” games, it usually means that you have failed when the guns come out. Then you have been discovered, it's over. In a Bond game, it is one of the tools you can choose to move on.

3. “007 First Light” offers great variety

Other new features are driving, which IO Interactive has never included in its previous games, but also gadgets.

– We want the player to feel as smart as Bond. By that I mean that he sometimes ends up in a situation where the odds are against him. We want the player to identify different options – whether it is to take the main entrance and shoot wildly or sneak in through the back door. Something else that is quite unique to Bond is using his charm to get past obstacles.

There is a rumor that actor Patrick Gibson will play Bond in “007 First Light”. He has played in “The Tudors”, “Shadow and Bone”, “Tolkien” and recently played the role of a young Dexter Morgan in “Dexter: Original Sin”.

What can you say about that?

– People are always speculating who will play Bond. Right now we want to focus on showing the game and presenting what it is about. We really want people to care about the game. Regarding the cast, I can only say that it is speculation, but we will confirm who will be involved later this summer.

4. A different James Bond we have never seen before

How much freedom have you had in developing this game? Is it a challenge to work with a franchise that does not belong to you?

– We obviously have to respect the brand. There are guides and guidelines about what Bond is and is not, but they are not particularly restrictive. It is more of a tool that you can use and build on. Because we chose to do an origin story, everything has to be invented, so that way we have a lot of creative freedom. It's also a different medium. It's a game and not a movie, so that also gives a different kind of freedom.

In “007 First Light,” James Bond is 26 years old and an inexperienced spy. He’s not based on any previous interpretation of the character, but a completely new one we’ve never seen in the movies before.

– We based a lot of it on how he looks in the books by Ian Fleming. Someone at MGM mentioned that he has a scar on his face at some point, so we thought it would be fun to go with that because he’s never been portrayed that way before. They’ve seen such a huge library to dig into and get inspiration from to build this new story.

What are your personal favorite Bond movies?

– It’s changed over time. When I was little, Pierce Brosnan was great, but the movies with Daniel Craig were amazing because they really built on the character. He develops through the movies. I felt like I could watch them as a TV series. If I had to choose, I’d have a hard time choosing between Sean Connery and Daniel Craig.

5. The developers hope it will be as loved as “Goldeneye 007”

What is your relationship with the game “Goldeneye 007” from 1997 for Nintendo 64, which is considered by many to be the best Bond game?

– It’s probably the only one I’ve actually played. It was a fantastic game, there’s no denying that. It’s always the game that people refer to when talking about Bond games. I hope our game will get similar status. They’re two very different gaming experiences, but I think we have a very well-made game in the works that people will like for other reasons than “Goldeneye 007”.

“007 First Light” will be released sometime in 2026. We’ll find out more about the game during the summer.