It’s been four years since the last James Bond film, No Time to Die. After a long break, 007 is ready to report for duty, this time in a new video game, 007 First Light. Coming from IO Interactive, developers of the popular Hitman series, swap a bald Agent 47 with a tux-wearing, martini-drinking Bond.
Before the launch of the game on March 27, 2026, IO Interactive offered a 30-minute stream, which featured a fancy party, fancy action, and fancy people. In the demo, we see a young James Bond distract security guards, climb walls, and walk with the swag he is known for. Think of it as Hitman with a touch of 007 class.
The gameplay consisted of three parts, complete with a sandbox element, and featured Mr. Bond breaking into a mansion where a party was in progress. The team behind the game has said that social interactions will form another part of how the agent can interact with people and progress through areas.
Making the game different from Hitman is a reduced focus on full-throttle action and killing. Bond is classy. Further, players may have a degree of freedom to decide how they approach missions. The 30-minute demo then moved to the part where Bond follows a rogue agent in a car chase, driving through a Swiss market. The chase ends at an airbase.
It brings us to the third part — gunplay and lots of it. Bond runs through an airbase, chasing a military transport craft as it takes off.
With the success of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge and Indiana Jones and the Great Circle, licensed games continue to be popular. Though IO Interactive continues to update Hitman: World of Assassination with new missions, it’s been four years since the last full Hitman release. 007 First Light launches on March 27 on Xbox, PlayStation, Switch 2, and PC.